FERRUM, VA, July 31, 2023 – Ferrum College announced today receipt of a Partnership Laboratory School Planning Grant of $199,517.00 from the Virginia Department of Education. The focus of the proposed laboratory school initiative is career readiness and workforce development for Franklin County with content areas to address health and emergency services and technical trades. The grant is funded out of a $100,000,000 appropriated by the General Assembly in its 2022 Session to the College Partnership Laboratory School Fund as set forth in Section 22.1-349.2 of the Code of Virginia.
“With boundless gratitude, we commend the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Virginia for their unparalleled generosity and visionary support. Their provision of a substantial planning grant for the creation of our Partnership Laboratory School between Ferrum College and Franklin County Schools embodies an unwavering commitment to the future of education and workforce development,” said Dr. Mirta Martin, president of Ferrum College. “This remarkable initiative will enable us to forge a new path, nurturing a generation of skilled professionals equipped to fill the gaps in critical segments of industry, and empowered to meet the ever-evolving demands of employers. Together, we will shape a brighter tomorrow, where knowledge and innovation converge to fuel progress and prosperity for all.”
Initially, the Ferrum College Workforce Laboratory School will offer Franklin County High School 11th and 12th grade students who opt for Career and Technical Education (CTE) dual enrollment college credit and the opportunity to specialize in curriculum to build skill sets that are critically needed by local and regional employers including nursing, EMT, paramedic, and fire fighting in addition to skills needed in industrial settings. Providing dual enrollment college credit for these experiences gives students momentum toward continuing their higher education later in their career preparation pathway. After full implementation of these programs, some 9th and 10th graders would also become eligible for participation.
Only 22% of Franklin County residents have a bachelor’s degree, and the Laboratory School model is expected to ease the transition from secondary to post-secondary education for first-generation college students by introducing them to college-level work and allowing them to attain career-specific certifications while they are still in high school. The certifications and streamlined pathway to a bachelor degree will increase their earning potential and provide a more secure financial future while remaining in the county for their career.
The focus of this laboratory school initiative is career readiness and workforce development for Franklin County. The content areas addressed are very broadly health and emergency services and technical trades. Within health and emergency services, the College intends to expand capacity for education in nursing, E.M.T., paramedic, firefighting, law enforcement, and search and rescue. Within technical trades, the focus will be on expanding capacity for education in construction trades (including carpentry, electrical, plumbing, welding, and HVAC), contracting and maintenance, and marine trades.
The Laboratory School will be a win/win for both students and local employers. The option for dual enrollment credit in a county that has no community college, and the nearest community colleges are over 30 minutes away in Roanoke or Martinsville, is a win for students. For local and regional employers, the demand for skilled workers is critical and growing. The Lab School has many local workforce champions, such as Vice President and Hospital Administrator for Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital, Carl Cline, because it will create a new pipeline for skilled candidates to fill those vacancies.
Dr. Kevin Siers, superintendent of Franklin County Public Schools, spoke about how health professions will benefit from the partnership with the College. “The Franklin County School Board and school division staff are very happy to be partnering with Ferrum College on the development of a lab school for health sciences. This program will permit our students to get a head start on a number of careers in the medical field and allow many of them to be employable in our community immediately after graduating from Franklin County High School.”
For more information about Laboratory Schools, click here.
