CANFIELD — The Mahoning County Career and Technical Center is getting $285,000 from the federal government for its Innovative Energy and Technology Workforce Training Center.

President Joe Biden signed the federal budget appropriations bill in December 2022, including funding for various community projects across the country.

MCCTC board members, state and local legislators, community representatives and others broke ground in October on the new training center.

When completed in the fall, this facility will have training and education offerings related to renewable or sustainable energy and power generation; traditional electrical grid maintenance and repair; electric and smart home or vehicle components and technologies; and other innovative and advanced technology systems designed to prepare the existing and future workforce to be even more competitive for the future of in-demand careers in related sectors.

“Strengthening our economy starts in our career and technical centers. We unleash more American innovation when everyone is able to participate and we nurture all Ohio talent,” U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, said. “We know Ohio workers can compete with anyone in the world, and this will allow more workers in Mahoning County to build careers in good-paying jobs.”

U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, said: “This is an effective use of taxpayer funding, as it will be used for specialized instructor training, staffing / operations, and training equipment costs. … This new state-of-the-art facility will focus on providing specialized upskill and job re-entry training for underemployed adult residents in the region.

“Importantly, this project will include and develop the local STEM talent pipeline by incorporating traditional high school students,” Johnson added. “As the Mahoning Valley is becoming a leader in the electric vehicle industry, programs like this are vital to our collective success, and I was glad to support this effort.”

This funding will augment other co-investments in the new training facility, such as the $250,000 through the Ohio capital budget in partnership with the Mahoning Valley’s state legislative delegation; $218,000 from the Mahoning County commissioners; and at least $230,000 in local committed or secured funding and in-kind resources.

Superintendent John Zehentbauer expressed gratitude to Johnson and Brown “in securing these resources to prepare our students for the jobs in Voltage Valley.”

U.S. Congressional appropriation will fund specialized instructor training, purchase of state-of-the-art equipment and adaptive technology, and targeted staffing costs associated with the training activities and operation of the center.

The investment will enhance the MCCTC’s capacity to provide highly specialized upskill and workforce re-entry training for adult residents in the Mahoning Valley, along with the STEM talent pipeline through programs with area high school students.