$74,810 grant equips North East ISD diesel students with industry-specific tools

A $74,810 federal grant will equip the North East Independent School District’s automotive and diesel technology programs with industry-specific tools that will prepare students for industry-related certifications and earn college credit.

The Texas Education Agency announced recently that North East ISD was awarded the Perkins Reserve Grant, which will enhance the automotive and diesel-related programs, said Ben Peterson, senior director of Career and Technology Education.

The programs prepare 9-12th grade students for high-skill, high-wage and high-demand occupations in the region,” Peterson said. “This will position our students to qualify for internships and be employable in high demand fields after high school graduation.”

The automotive program positions students to earn high school credit while earning up to 16 hours of college credit toward an associate degree from St. Philip’s College.  Additionally, North East will collaborate with Goodwill’s Good Careers Academy. The academy will provide an adjunct professor and offer support services designed to help students transition into college and the workforce.

The unique equipment will complement the standards set by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. The foundation examines training programs and evaluates them against standards established by the industry.

These standards reflect the skills that students must master to be successful in the industry, according to NATEF.

Peterson said that discussions with industry partners reveal that beyond a high school diploma, skilled technicians must remain updated with changes in technology.

“This is a compelling reason to provide real-world equipment in our classrooms,” he said.  “These items are expensive for school districts and we rely on donations and grants to fund them.”

The program serves high school students from the following schools: Reagan, Johnson, Roosevelt, Churchill, Lee, Madison, MacArthur and the International School of the Americas. Students are bused from their home campuses to the district’s automotive facility in the Career and Technical Education Center at 3736 Perrin Central. The students are then returned to their campuses.

Educators interested in seeking grants can access the grants mini-base created by the district’s Government Relations and Grant Development Department. District educators must be signed into the district intranet system to access: https://www.neisd.net/Page/471. Watch the video on the “Grant Training and Writing” page before starting the grant writing process.