Slaton ISD awarded Regional Pathways Network Grant

From Staff Reports

The Slaton Independent School District was a recipient of a Regional Pathways Network Grant to help with its award winning welding program.

Collegiate Edu-Nation (CEN) is announced the awarding of two Texas Regional Pathways Network (TRPN) grants aimed at building high-quality career pathways.

Slaton ISD, Lorenzo ISD and Crosbyton ISD will work together to establish a welding pathway that aligns with regional manufacturing and agricultural equipment industry needs. Students will benefit from dual credit opportunities at South Plains College and hands-on training with employer partners Wiley Manufacturing and South Plains Implement. Labor market data from Workforce Solutions South Plains highlights a projected 12% growth in welding-related jobs over the next decade, underscoring the importance of this initiative.

Lynn Melton, head of the Career and Technical Education program in Slaton, said the other two Districts wanted to get into dual credit. 

“Crosbyton wanted to start a welding program pathway and approached Lorenzo who already had an established welding program,” she said. “Neither district offered welding dual credit as Slaton did. They contacted Chris Carpenter, Assistant Superintendent at Slaton to see if we would be interested in partnering with them in order to get this grant.”

For more information, please read the Thursday edition of The Slatonite.