Nov. 26—Lakeland Community College has been awarded a Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills (RAPIDS) grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education, school officials announced this month.

The grant, totaling more than $165,000, will be allocated toward new equipment in nursing, histotechnology (assisting pathologists with diagnoses), geospatial technology and dental hygiene classrooms.

The four programs are considered high-growth disciplines, school officials added, and the upgrades are designed to improve the job readiness of students, preparing them to enter the workforce in high-demand positions.

Additionally, the equipment will not only keep students "on pace with technological advances in their respective fields but in many cases will also give them an edge on emerging technologies."

According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education, the RAPIDS grant initiative is designed to make strategic regional investments (in equipment and facilities) to develop and support postsecondary institutions' workforce development projects.

The institutions chosen to receive RAPIDS funds have shown a commitment to furthering the career aspirations of students and the economic growth of businesses in the region.

Lakeland is a "critical provider of education and job training in Northeast Ohio," and several of the training and certificate programs offered have been developed in response to the needs of local businesses to attract and retain students in the region, officials noted.

"We've worked with our community partners in the medical field to identify what is needed to properly educate and train our students prior to graduation," said Lakeland Dean of Health Technologies Regina Prosser. "Our students having access to state-of-the-art equipment will prepare them for the workforce and make them even more suitable candidates for area employers."

According to the United States Department of Labor, geospatial technology — information describing objects, events, or other features with a location on or near the surface of the earth — is one of three emerging industries with the highest demand for workers and potential growth in the next decade.

"The GIS industry is continually growing and the technology is always advancing," said Barb Friedt, dean of applied studies. "Lakeland is already ahead of the curve by offering a geospatial technology program and upgrading (our training equipment) will give our students more of an advantage when job searching."