As he looks through the $53.26 billion budget proposed by Gov. Josh Shapiro, a state lawmaker serving the region, is supportive of increases in career and technology education funding, so that students in high school can have a chance to enter various fields of work.

“There is an increase to CTE programs and we need that increase,” said state Rep. Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township, representing the 84th House district of Lycoming County and a part of Sullivan County.

Shapiro’s proposed 2026-27 fiscal year budget includes approximately $132,302,493 for the Secondary Career and Technical Education Subsidy.

“More today than ever , we have the opportunity to see students learn a skill while in high school, half the day spent in the classroom and the other half of the day they work with their hands,” he said.

Those students have a great opportunity to go right into the workforce out of high school, he noted.

The benefits are two-fold, as they are taught a critical skill useful for the rest of their lives and supporting the area’s workforce needs.

“To me, it’s a win-win,” Hamm said, adding such funding gives young people an opportunity to have those programs, such as the fine example of the Lycoming Career and Technology Center, Hughesville.

“We’ve gotten them over $6 million,” Hamm said of the state grants toward the expansion of the Lyco CTC building expansion and adding programs such as diesel technology and welding.

The facility has students on a wait list, he said.

“There are students who can’t get into a program because they just don’t have enough slots,” Hamm said, adding he was supportive of adding toward CTE programs and increasing the opportunities for students and providing the workforce with skilled laborers ready and willing to go to work, especially in this region.