Johnson College has been awarded a $50,000 Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) planning grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support the College in planning and developing a new vehicle maintenance technology laboratory.
The vehicle maintenance technology laboratory is one of four components of Johnson College’s comprehensive, five-year capital campaign, “Innovation at Work,” which focuses on creating an environment for growth and success. The laboratory will consolidate three of Johnson College’s four vehicle maintenance programs – Automotive, Heavy Equipment, and Diesel Truck Technology – into one efficiently shared space with the latest high-tech training equipment for traditional and electric vehicles, and advanced alternative fuel technologies. The three programs are all currently housed in different locations on the College’s Scranton Campus.
During this project’s planning and development phase, the College will combine programmatic review with industry partners’ and consultants’ recommendations to determine laboratory location, design, curriculum, and technologically advanced equipment that best meets the needs of the growing and changing transportation industry. The planning project will include a feasibility/site study phase and architectural design phase. Faculty and administration will also tour several successful industry and educational facilities to see best practices in operation.
Johnson College plans to match the funds from the POWER planning grant to further support the success of this project and its overall mission to provide the best industry-focused, hands-on learning that prepares students to enter the workforce and adapt to the changing needs of industry.
The POWER planning grant is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative. This initiative provides funding to support communities and regions affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain or logistics industries due to the changing economics of America’s energy production and the coal economy. The POWER Initiative supports efforts to create a more vibrant economic future for coal-impacted communities by cultivating economic diversity, enhancing job training and reemployment opportunities, creating jobs in existing or new industries, and attracting new sources of investment.
About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.