"Governor Rendell is creating new opportunities for Pennsylvania's citizens by building an innovative, high-tech economy in Pennsylvania," said Yablonsky. "By nurturing a skilled workforce and supporting new and existing companies through tailored incentives, we're creating an environment where our people and companies can excel in the information technology, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing industries.
The funds were made available through the Workforce Leadership Grant program, which provides funding to high schools and colleges to help them prepare students for jobs or additional training in high-tech fields. The grants help schools establish a unified curriculum across two year vocational programs, and two and four year post-secondary education programs, which help students to continue their education using advanced credits from the completed level. All programs are required to incorporate a nanotechnology element.
Four programs were added to the Workforce Leadership Grant program this year, including two specifically for Information Technology:
- Information Technology
- Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania -- $80,000 to develop a computer forensics program
- Communities in Schools in Philadelphia -- $200,000 to develop an information technology program
- Biotechnology
- Harrisburg University of Science and Technology -- $190,000 to develop a biotechnology program
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Precision Manufacturing Institute -- $200,000 to develop an advanced manufacturing and robotics program
