$43,400 USDA grant will benefit 200 NE State students annually
Published 2:40 pm Friday, July 14, 2023
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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded Northeast State a $43,400 grant to purchase instructional equipment for six programs. The funds are expected to benefit more than 250 students annually.
The purchases will enable the College to keep pace with workplace demands for skilled electricians, HVAC technicians, and maintenance mechanics.
The equipment includes bench-top power supplies, pipe threaders, and mini-split ductless heat pumps.
The equipment and tools will be used in Northeast State’s 114,475-square-foot Technical Education Complex that houses advanced technology classrooms and labs.
The grant will benefit three associate degree programs: Mechanical Technology, Electromechanical Technology, and Electrical Technology. Also included are certificate programs in Construction Electricity, Electromechanical, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, there are nearly 250 annual job openings in Northeast Tennessee in these fields.
“It is critical that students receive training on the most current technology and tools,” said Dr. Donna Farrell, Northeast State’s dean of Technologies. “The grant will allow the College to update existing equipment and address critical concepts and skills required by the region’s employers.”
Farrell also noted that the College has allocated matching funds of $24,000 to purchase additional tools and supplies for the targeted programs.
The grant began on June 1 and will run through May 31, 2024.
Nichole Manz-Young, assistant director of Technologies, will administer the program. She has more than 10 years of experience as an instructor and department head at the College.