$1.3 million grant and local money allows Mid-East to expand CDL training program

Mid-East Career and Technology Centers receives grant from Appalachian Regional Commission Story

Mid-East Career and Technology Centers was recently awarded a $1.3 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to expand its Commercial Driver License training and testing program.

With the expansion, Mid-East will be able to increase the number of CDL-licensed drivers in Appalachian Ohio, improve income and employment gaps found between the project region and state and national averages, and provide Appalachian Ohio businesses with a qualified and skilled logistics workforce.

In addition to the ARC grant, Mid-East received $343,750 from the J.W. and M.H. Straker Charitable Foundation to pay for high school students to earn their CDL. The Muskingum County Commissioners also contributed $300,000 to the project and the Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority gave its approval to connect the new CDL training facility to the Eastpointe Business Park.

Mid East Career and Technology Center was proud to host Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik to learn more about Mid East's CDL Center and grants awarded to its program. Commissioners joined State Representative Holmes, Mayor Don Mason, Superintendent Matt Sheridan, County Administrator Eric Reed, Steven Foreman and Eastin Lewellen of MVESC, and Tanner Kilpatrick of Mid East for a tour and discussion about the future plans for the CDL Center.

With the grant funds, Mid-East will prepare an 11-acre site and purchase a fleet of eight used, Class A 48-foot tractor trailers to expand capacity for skills testing. The district will construct an access road to connect the CDL facility to the nearby industrial loop, which will ensure a safer traffic flow from the facility to the main highway.

Finally, the district will expand its current high school pilot program to an additional 12 area high schools by training additional instructors, providing training materials and working with districts to cover student physical exams and testing fees.

Mid-East's program expansion goal is to train 200 students to pass the CDL course, which will benefit businesses by filling commercial driver needs over the course of three years. The district anticipates the program will become self-sustaining through training and testing fees by 2026 and will use estimated revenues to replenish gravel and repair and maintain the fleet of trucks.

Mid-East CTC partners with 13 local and city school districts to provide adult and high school career and technical program options for Guernsey, Muskingum, Noble, and Perry counties and beyond.