Career and Technical Education to expand in Troy
TROY, Ala. (WAKA) – An expansion in Troy will offer new career technical education opportunities to students.
State and local leaders, educators, students and community partners celebrated another major milestone in Alabama’s ongoing investment in Career and Technical Education (CTE).
Yesterday, the ribbon was cut for the expansion and renovation of the Academy Street Career Innovation Center, as well as a groundbreaking for a new CTE training facility.
Alabama set aside $100 million for CTE facility improvements in 2025, followed by an additional $150 million this year. That money will help communities across Alabama modernize existing facilities, build new training centers and give students greater access to the equipment, technology and hands-on instruction needed to succeed in today’s workforce.
“We want to do things that we have not even thought about before and we want to help our students to be prepared for jobs that don’t exist today, so a big thank you to the Pike County Schools, Troy City Schools, Dale County Schools for the investment in this facility,” State School Supt. Dr. Eric Mackey said. “I think we will all come back a year or two from now when it has even more students and more programs and see the growth that it has had academically in this area of the state, but more importantly is going to also pull new employers in.”
“Because of the work of Dr. Mackey and the two superintendents and Mayor Jason Reeves and what’s happening here in Troy, kids today are going to have opportunities that they’ve never been exposed to, opportunities to be productive citizens for this state, to create a family and raise a family. I had to put back into community just like everybody in this room has,” Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said.
The Academy Street project is supported by Alabama Career Pathways, a statewide career and technical education initiative designed to connect high school students with hands-on training, industry-recognized credentials and direct pathways to high-demand careers.
The Academy Street Career Innovation Center is already providing students with opportunities to pursue training in fields including mechatronics, electrical line work, computer science, aerospace engineering and public safety. The center also incorporates dual enrollment opportunities, allowing students to earn college credit while gaining valuable career skills.
