OHIO — Ohio officials announced the approval of $8 million in funding for the latest round of the Ohio Department of Higher Education's RAPIDS grants, also know as Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills. 

The RAPIDS program provides funds to public universities, community colleges and career technical centers in Ohio. The money allows them to purchase state-of-the-art equipment for students to use in training programs or in education. 

“Our RAPIDS grants offer a unique opportunity for Ohio’s campuses and career technical centers to help address specific workforce needs at the local level,” said Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio. “On an individual level, these grants give our students a tremendous opportunity to learn and refine their skills on the same top-of-the-line equipment being used by cutting-edge businesses across Ohio.”

The equipment is often shared among multiple campuses, DeWine said, which help give students more access to a quality education.

“Making sure we’re preparing our workforce of tomorrow to fill all of the incredible job opportunities in Ohio is really a team effort,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “By investing in this state-of-the-art equipment so more students can access it, and by taking regional workforce needs into consideration, this program will position more of our kids to be career ready the moment they graduate.”

The full list of recipients is below: