BDCC Receives Grant Award of $150,000 to Design and Deliver Pipelines & Pathways Project
BRATTLEBORO, VT – The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) has awarded the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) $150,000 through the Windham County Economic Development Program (WCEDP) to design and deliver its Pipelines & Pathways Project, which will provide personal learning plan engagement opportunities for Windham County’s four public high schools. The goals of the Pipelines & Pathways Project are to create workforce-oriented curricula, expand classroom relationships with local employers, and to develop clear learning and career pathways accessible to all students.
“As Act 77 and Flexible Pathways is rolled out in our schools and communities, the BDCC sees a fantastic opportunity to support local and regional pathways that lead our students to high-wage jobs in their own backyards,” said Alex Beck, Workforce and Education Program Manager at the BDCC. “Whether it is closing the opportunity gap for rural and low-income students, achieving 70% post-secondary education attainment by 2025, or ensuring every student who wants to work has the skills to do so, we’re honored and excited to be contributing to the system and pathways that get us there.”
This project will enable the hiring of an educational professional who will work with each Secondary school to coordinate curricula for career planning, 21st Century Skills training, work-based learning, and implementation of personal learning plans. The program will be creating a pipeline and paving a pathway for employers and a talented young workforce to connect and jointly work to nurture Vermont’s economy.
“We’re grateful for this investment from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and the State of Vermont. As we continue to mobilize additional funders and engage our education partners, we look forward to sharing more detail about this exciting project before the start of summer,” said Adam Grinold, Executive Director of the BDCC.
Joan Goldstein, Commissioner of the ACCD’s Department of Economic Development, stated: “Workforce development is one of the Governor’s top-priority platforms, and the ACCD and the State of Vermont are committed to aiding programs such as the Pipelines & Pathways Project that will serve as foundations for the future leaders of Vermont’s industries. We are very excited to be playing a role in the growth and development of Windham County, and serving the greater workforce needs of Vermont.”
WCEDP is administered by the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development in cooperation with the WCEDP Advisory Council. The funds were secured through an MOU governing the closure of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, for the purpose of mitigating the impacts of closure on the region’s economy including the loss of over 600 jobs. WCEDP grants; 1) promote economic development in Windham County by stimulating job creation through business start-up, expansion, or relocation; 2) encourage entrepreneurial activity, and; 3) strengthen the economic development infrastructure to ensure a strong foundation for transformational economic activity.
For more information on WCEDP, please visit http://accd.vermont.gov/economic-development/funding-incentives/windham-county.
For more information on the BDCC, please visit https://brattleborodevelopment.com/about-bdcc/.
The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development’s mission is to help Vermonters improve their quality of life and build strong communities. The ACCD accomplishes this mission by providing grants, technical assistance, and advocacy through three divisions: The Department of Economic Development, the Department of Tourism and Marketing, and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
For more information on the ACCD, please visit http://accd.vermont.gov.