BLaST IU 17 is the recipient of $15,785 as part of the Teachers in the Workplace (TIW) grant which awarded $2.6 million across Pennsylvania to eligible organizations to partner educators with local businesses.  In partnership with Aramark at UPMC Susquehanna, BLaST will serve the surrounding school districts and intermediate unit programs in Lycoming County.

The purpose of the project, titled A BRIDGE from Dreaming in the Classroom to Doing in the Workplace, is to Improve student learning by providing career readiness through enhanced classroom instruction.   This grant will provide a framework for a comprehensive approach to teaching workplace experiences and on-the-job training towards a multi-skilled associate certificate for all students.  Educators and workplace mentors will collaborate to determine the best fit and application to classroom experiences to enhance learning outcomes, especially for students with economic and special education needs.

Brook Beiter, Director of Educational Planning at BLaST will co-facilitate the project with Katey Martin, Director of Education and Workforce Development for Aramark at UPMC.  “We are grateful to have been awarded this grant and are excited to collaborate with UPMC,” said Beiter. “The needs of the workforce are continuously evolving and we want to ensure our students are prepared for the workplace of tomorrow.”

Other districts from our region that received grants were Southern Tioga School District – $49,710 – Tioga County Career Ready: Round 2; and Williamsport Area School District – $28,820 – Future Ready in Williamsport PA.

The TIW grants were funded by federal money made available from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act.