ODEW Announces New Career Pathway Support Network Grants

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) have announced the recipients of the Career Pathway Support Network Grant – a $7.1 million investment to bring career-connected learning opportunities and career planning support to more students across the state.

The grant funding will establish Career Pathway Support Networks. Similar to existing Tech Prep Regional Centers, these new networks will take a broader approach than the Tech Prep model – increasing access to and participation in career-technical education for middle grades (7-10), ensuring all students receive high-quality career advising and mentoring, and aligning more closely with regional workforce needs through partnerships between schools and districts, institutions of higher education, and local employers.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will award funding to the following regional lead institutions:

  • East Region: Youngstown State University – $674,978.13
  • Northeast Region: ESC of Northeast Ohio – $1,561,346.96
  • Northwest Region: North Central Ohio ESC – $936,717.18
  • West Region: Sinclair Community College – $857,292.67
  • Southwest Region: Cincinnati State Technical & Community College – $1,052,456.85
  • Southeast Region: East Central Ohio ESC – $778,863.40
  • Central Region: ESC of Central Ohio – $1,247,917.40

These institutions, along with their regional partners, will establish seven regional Career Pathway Support Networks that are aligned with the state’s JobsOhio regions and that will focus on better preparing Ohio students for in-demand careers with expanded career-technical education, as well as advising, mentoring, and exposure to professions. Each Career Pathway Support Network will be guided by a regional steering committee. The networks will lead planning for career-connected learning that is aligned with local workforce demand, and will build partnerships among education, business, and community leaders.

The demand for career-technical education continues to grow in Ohio. More than 141,000 students participated in at least one career-technical education course during the 2023-2024 school year. ODEW also recently released their Effective Access Career-Technical Education Toolkit, designed to help schools and districts identify gaps in access and to build or expand career-technical education programs. The toolkit includes regional data, program design strategies, and step-by-step implementation checklists, and emphasizes the building new and strengthening existing industry partnerships to respond to local workforce needs.

For more information, contact Lacey Snoke, Chief Communications Officer with ODEW at (614) 995-1855 or [email protected] or Chad Eberly, Deputy Chief of Communications with ODEW at (614) 466-4839 or [email protected].