Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Tressel Announce Recipients of $7.1 Million Grant to Establish Career Pathway Support Networks
Funding awarded to seven regional institutions to help more Ohio students explore careers and plan their futures
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin today 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.
“Our continued support of expanding career-technical education and career planning for our students is an investment in Ohio’s future,” said Governor DeWine. “By creating Career Pathway Support Networks, more students will be able to access the in-demand skills and experiences they need to be successful after high school and reach their full potential.”
The grant funding will establish Career Pathway Support Networks in place of existing Tech Prep Regional Centers. These new networks will build on the foundation of the Tech Prep model but take a broader approach – 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.
“As more businesses move into Ohio and grow here, we have an incredible number of opportunities coming our way. We need to make sure our next generation is ready to take advantage of these opportunities,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “Establishing these Career Pathway Support Networks will help us keep building on our work alongside local partners to strengthen Ohio’s future workforce and meet the unique needs of employers in each region of the state.”
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 and 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.
 Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin today announced the recipients of $7.1 million in grant funding to establish seven regional Career Pathway Support Networks across Ohio
“We want to highlight as many workforce opportunities as possible for students and show them how their interests connect to careers right here in Ohio,” said Director Dackin. “By improving career planning supports, mentoring, and skill development, along with elevating business-education partnerships, our new Career Pathway Support Networks will help more students be ready for new and exciting possibilities. Embedding career planning as a core K-12 strategy ensures that every student graduates not only with knowledge, but also with a clear sense of direction and the confidence to pursue their future.”
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.
To build on this momentum, and to help ensure every student interested in career-technical education has access to it, the state is working to close participation gaps – especially in the 59 districts where high school career-technical education enrollment is currently below 10%.
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Effective Access Career-Technical Education Toolkit is a resource 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. It also emphasizes the importance of building new industry partnerships and strengthening existing ones to identify, assess, and respond to local workforce needs.
Additional Media Contacts:
Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Lacey Snoke, Chief Communications Officer
614-995-1855
[email protected]
Chad Eberly, Deputy Chief of Communications
614-466-4839
[email protected]
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