HATHORNE, MA – Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School has been awarded a $750,000 Skills Capital Lab Modernization Grant from the Healey-Driscoll Administration. This funding will be used to modernize and enhance the school’s Engineering Technology program. Essex Tech is one of 17 schools selected to receive funding from this initiative.
Governor Maura Healey emphasized the importance of investing in vocational-technical education, stating, “Massachusetts is a leader in innovation, and to maintain our competitive edge, we must continue investing in the next generation of workers, particularly in STEM-related fields. This funding is equipping our career and technical education programs and training centers with the latest technology, giving our students and workers the tools they need to succeed in high-demand industries and making our state the best place to go to school, raise a family and work.”
Essex Tech’s Superintendent, Dr. Heidi Riccio, expressed excitement about the grant, saying, “Expanding access to high quality technical education is essential. Essex Tech has more applicants than seats and it is our responsibility to meet the demands of our workforce. We are thrilled that we were able to receive these funds to continue the work and we thank the Healey-Driscoll administration for their continued support.”
Tony DiLuna, Essex Tech’s STEAM Coordinator added, “A high-quality STEAM education is the backbone of a thriving workforce. This grant will allow us to increase student access to the Gallant STEAM Academy, where we cultivate technical skills, creative thinking, and problem-solving abilities essential to navigating an ever-evolving world. By fostering innovation and adaptability, we empower students to become the architects of our future.”
“We are very fortunate to be a recipient of this grant as it allows us to support the expansion and access to our STEAM academy programs in order to meet the needs of the modern workforce in our region,” said Jill Sawyer, Executive Director of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education at Essex Tech.
With this funding, Essex Tech is poised to further its commitment to providing cutting-edge technical education and preparing students for success in high-demand fields. This investment underscores the importance of vocational-technical education in driving economic growth and innovation in Massachusetts.
About Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School
Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School (Essex Tech) opened as a four-year Massachusetts public career technical and agricultural high school in September 2014. Essex Tech admits students from 17 member communities to the district’s 26 career technical and agricultural programs. Member communities include Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Middleton, Nahant, Peabody, Rockport, Salem, Swampscott, Topsfield, and Wenham. Students from across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts also are eligible to earn admission to Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School’s seven animal science, agricultural, or natural resource programs.
Essex Tech students are immersed in both their academic and career technical and agricultural (CTAE) programs throughout each year of their enrollment. Academic courses are available at the college preparatory, honors, and advanced placement levels. CTAE program placement is determined after participation in a Freshman Exploratory Program. Eligible students may also participate in the Cooperative Education Program, beginning midway through junior year.
Academic and CTAE Program coursework is aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, Massachusetts Career Vocational Technical Education Frameworks, and Massachusetts High School Program of Studies (MassCore).
###
