CHARLESTON, W.Va, - The new MedEd Program from Jefferson County Schools (JCS), WVU Medicine, and Blue Ridge Community and Technical College (CTC) will benefit from a $4.7 million grant awarded to the Education Alliance for their new CAREERS (Career Acceleration Readiness and Employment Experiences for Region Students) project.
The Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) provided the funding that benefits the Education Alliance and 10 local partners in West Virginia and Mississippi to help fill workforce needs in manufacturing and healthcare sectors by accelerating career education and training for underserved high school students seeking careers in these fields.
JCS announced the MedEd Program earlier this year. The unique two-year program offers eligible high school students a direct career path into the healthcare industry. Beginning in the fall, juniors and seniors at Jefferson High School (JCS) and Washington High School (WHS) may choose one of two career pathways as either a Laboratory Technician or Patient Care Technician.
“I strongly believe that the key to transforming Appalachia’s economic vitality can be found in vision and collaboration across state lines,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “I’m encouraged by the way our newest ARISE grantees have come together to forge plans that will greatly increase workforce development and business ventures in ways that will positively affect the entire region.”
- The growing list of project partners includes:
- Jefferson County Schools, West Virginia
- Kanawha County Schools, West Virginia
- Monongalia County Schools, West Virginia
- New Albany School District and Union County, Mississippi
- Putnam County Schools, West Virginia
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia
- WVU Health System through its subsidiary hospitals: Jefferson Medical Center, J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Children’s Hospital
"I want to thank ARC for the significant investment in the CAREERS workforce development program. CAREERS will accelerate life-changing opportunities for high school students to simultaneously learn, earn, and eventually advance along a career path,” said Dr. Amelia Courts, President/CEO of The Education Alliance. “I am extremely grateful for the collaboration of all our partners Toyota, WVU Health System, New Albany Schools in Union County Mississippi, along with Jefferson, Monongalia, Kanawha, and Putnam County Schools in West Virginia. I also want to acknowledge the remarkable support of the Claude Worthington Benedum and Steeley Foundations which committed significant matching funds to help leverage these resources for students.”
ARISE makes $73.5 million available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 - ARC launched ARISE in August of 2022 to strengthen Appalachian business and industry and to grow and support the development of new economic opportunities through multi-state collaborative projects.
Additional information about ARC’s ARISE funding opportunity for multi-state collaboration is available at www.arc.gov/ARISE.