The Gulf Coast Petrochemical Information Network (GC-PIN) partner universities have extended their partnership beyond the petrochemical field and health education and training.
With San Jacinto College serves as fiscal agent, GC-PIN colleges (San Jacinto College, Brazosport College, College of the Mainland and Lee College), submitted a $4.7 million proposal to the Department of Labor’s Community Based Job Training Grant competition, and notification of the award on 30 June.
The donation will help create career ladders in different health fields, to encourage underemployed workers to improve their education and skill level, and provide a starting point for people who are unemployed.
The career ladder includes two credit options and training credit.
Each step of the ladder gives students an industry recognized certificate or degree which makes them more employable, increases their pay and/or advances them in their careers.
Lee College part of the grant is $ 915,052 over three years, and includes their project:
# The addition of a full-time retention or persistence counselor for the department of nursing.
# Funds to increase a part-time nursing simulation center coordinator a full-time job.
# Funds to equip a test lab for nursing with computers.
# The purchase of two high fidelity patient simulators to increase Lee’s capacity to serve more students in the nursing and LVN programs.
# Equipment for non-credit Allied Health programs, such as Certified Nursing Assistant, phlebotomy and EKG technician.
# Tuition scholarships for students not qualified for federal financial aid or scholarships that are specializing mainly in that non-credit allied health programs.
A portion of the tuition scholarships will also be for students pursuing degrees LVN and AND.