Southeastern Massachusetts Vocational Schools Get $5.3 Million to Expand Programs

Three vocational schools on the SouthCoast are getting a total of $5.3 million in funding from the state, after the Baker-Polito Administration announced $24 million in Skills Capital Grants statewide.

Funding is meant to help the schools modernize their labs and expand programs that provide careers-based training and education, state officials said in a release.

Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and Education Secretary James Peyser announced the grant awards at Westfield Technical Academy in Westfield on Tuesday.

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Fall River's Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School is getting the largest grant in the region, with $2.5 million in funding awarded.

The grant will go towards renovations to the school's advanced manufacturing and dental assisting instructional lab space, including the installation of dental chairs as well as sterilization and imaging X-ray equipment.

It will also help the school launch adult Career Technical Initiative training programs.

Meanwhile the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School has been awarded $1.8 million to modernize and expand its Culinary Arts and HVAC instructional labs.

New Bedford Voc-Tech will also use the funding to expand its CTI training programming for adults, officials stated.

Finally, Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School in Taunton will receive a $1 million award to build a new school that will help expand its culinary arts program.

Officials said more than 100 high school and adult program students will learn professional cooking techniques, bakery and pastry art fundamentals, food sanitation and safety, and hospitality skills.

There will also be a school restaurant for the local community, the release noted.

The funds come from $4 billion in federal COVID recovery spending passed by Massachusetts legislators in 2021 that included $100 million for capital improvement grants for vocational high schools and technical programs statewide.

"Since taking office, our administration has made significant investments through the Skills Capital Grant program to help more young people and adults gain the education, training and skills necessary for successful careers in rapidly growing industry sectors," Baker said.

"We are proud of the impact these grants have had on both students' educations and their futures in the Massachusetts workforce."