St. Clair County students interested in skilled trades careers will soon have a new opportunity after the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency received a $1.7 million grant to launch a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning program at the St. Clair County Technical Education Center, 499 Range Road in Marysville.
The grant, awarded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, will fund facility renovations, equipment purchases and other capital costs needed to establish the program. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2027, with the first students enrolling in fall 2027.
RESA officials said the program grew from years of planning and conversations with local employers about workforce needs. The effort gained momentum after RESA Superintendent Brenda Tenniswood discussed the idea with Randy Maiers, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, who connected RESA with representatives of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.
The two-year program will serve up to 52 students each year, preparing them for careers in a field with strong local hiring demand while reducing waitlists in existing TEC programs.
“This grant represents an incredible investment in St. Clair County students and our regional workforce,” Tenniswood said in the release. “For years, our team has been listening to students, employers, advisory committee members, workforce partners, local school districts and community leaders to better understand the opportunities and challenges facing our region.”
Tenniswood said the grant reflects both the foundation’s confidence in RESA’s vision and TEC’s longstanding reputation for preparing students for successful careers.
“We are deeply grateful to the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation for believing in our vision and helping make it a reality,” she said.
Kate Partington, program officer for the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, said expanding career and technical education helps young people pursue meaningful futures while supporting local employers.
“St. Clair County RESA has built this program in close partnership with educators, employers and workforce partners, which is exactly the kind of community-aligned approach that creates long-lasting opportunity,” Partington said in the release.
The HVAC program will feature 13 fully equipped lab stations with instruction focused on technical skills, safety, diagnostic reasoning and workplace readiness. Students can earn industry credentials, participate in work-based learning and connect with apprenticeships, employment opportunities and postsecondary education.
“Every year, we meet students who are excited about working with their hands, solving problems and exploring a future in the skilled trades,” TEC Director and Principal Lesley Murphy said in the release. “This new HVAC program will give even more students the opportunity to turn those interests into real career possibilities while earning industry credentials, gaining real-world experience and connecting with local employers who are eager to hire them.”
Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: $1.7M grant will bring HVAC program to St. Clair County TEC
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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By Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald | USA TODAY Network
