University Communications and Marketing

City College awarded grants to grow Career Technical Education programs 

Grants to invest in CTE and dual credit courses

University Communications and Marketing, 657-2266

MSU BILLINGS NEWS — City College at Montana State University Billings was recently awarded two grants to fund Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and grow dual credit courses related to CTE programs.

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) is a grant awarded to invest in secondary and postsecondary CTE programs in all 50 states and the territories. Perkins is dedicated to increasing learner access to high-quality CTE programs of study.

CTE is an educational option that provides learners with the knowledge and skills they need to be prepared for college and careers. CTE programs give purpose to learning by emphasizing real-world skills and practical knowledge within a selected career focus. Learners, employers, and communities all benefit from Perkins grants.

The Perkins grant will allow City College to sponsor a CTE seminar with two guest speakers from business and industry that will allow City College faculty and high school teachers and counselors to learn about innovations in CTE and employment opportunities.

The grant will also provide professional develop for CTE faculty to upgrade their teaching skills and their knowledge of the industry in nursing, radiologic technology, fire science, accounting, welding and construction; purchase major and minor equipment for the nursing, welding, radiologic technology and fire science programs; provide tutoring for students in courses required for graduation; and will provide activities at City College that will prepare special populations for high-skilled, high-wage employment.

“The Perkins grant is a major resource at City College designed to improve career and technical education. Perkins paved the way for accreditation in several programs including Nursing and Fire Science by providing specialized professional development and state-of-the-art equipment,” shares Associate Dean of City College Florence Garcia Ed.D. “It allows faculty to grow their programs and address unmet needs in instruction. We are very fortunate to receive this grant.”

City College was also recently awarded a Montana Career Pathways (MCP) grant from the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) to develop dual enrollment courses related to CTE.

The MCP grant will help City College maintain, grow and add additional dual enrollment courses. Trade and Industry, Introduction to Computers and American History will be three new dual enrollment classes offered through the college to high school students. City College faculty will also have the opportunity to travel to area schools to cultivate new career and technical options for dual enrollment.

High school students who participate in the Information Technology course will be given the opportunity to visit campus through the grant and will be able to talk with current students who are involved in the program and visit with an industry leader about the necessary skill sets needed for pathways to a number of job-related opportunities.

MSUB will invite counselors from partner schools in Billings and surrounding communities for a half-day workshop to focus on workforce needs, pathways and post-secondary planning.

A full-time pathway coordinator will be hired to promote the development of the MCP and dual enrollment program through funding from the MSUB general fund.

Both Perkins and MCP are funded by the federal government. MCP is passed through OPI while Perkins is allocated through the Office of Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE) through the Montana University System.

For more information, contact Florence Garcia, associate dean of City College, at 406-247-3010 or florence.garcia@msubillings.edu.