Thanks to a new state grant, Charlottesville Middle School students will now be able to explore STEM careers in a new lab with industry-grade equipment and software. 

Charlottesville City Schools, Albemarle County Public Schools and Greene County Public Schools were together awarded $1,016,000 to establish Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC) Career Connection Labs in middle schools. 

The CMS lab will enable students to develop foundational skills for careers in

• IT Coding & Networking
• Automation & Robotics
• Precision Machining
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Metrology
• BioTechnologies
• Welding

These careers are aligned with local workforce needs so that our schools are preparing students to play important roles in the local economy. 

“The goal is to inspire students to explore careers and develop foundational training,” said Dr. Stacey Heltz, principal of CATEC and coordinator for career and technical education for the division. “They’ll have opportunities for advanced training, including those that lead to dual-enrollment courses and credentialing opportunities later in high school.”

Funding will support teacher training, equipment purchases, curriculum resources, and regional coordination and technical support. 

Pictured above: CMS students explore industry-grade equipment and software during a visit from the GO TEC bus in November.