KEYSTONE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry is rolling out grants across the state for job training. One of those grants will benefit high school students in Wyoming County who may be interested in becoming teachers.
When you think of apprenticeships, you might picture an electrician or a plumber, but how about a preschool teacher?
The state's Department of Labor and Industry has announced a new grant to pay for teacher training in Keystone College's early childhood education program. The grant will pay for teens from nearby Lackawanna Trail High School to start an apprenticeship here and earn the certificate they need to get their first job.
"We hope that this mechanism will not only help us build a workforce of highly qualified individuals for preschool, but also for infants and toddlers. That's our vision," said Fran Langan, Keystone College.
The students from Lackawanna Trail High School will come here to the Keystone College campus during their typical school day to start earning the credits they need.
"Individuals can start as an aide, move on to an associate's degree, then later to a bachelor's degree, so they have a career pathway so that they can get a family-sustaining good career anywhere in Pennsylvania," said Eileen Cipriani.
Cipriani is the Deputy Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. She came to Keystone to announce the $60,000 grant that will pay the tuition for six high school students planning to start the apprenticeship program in the fall.
The free credits will get the students about halfway to an associate's degree.
"You start with your associate's degree and you can take your time and get your bachelor's degree, but you're working while you're doing it," Cipriani said.
Keystone is one of three schools statewide receiving money from the state.