HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced the availability of PAsmart Advancing Grants to expand access to computer science and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for learners across the commonwealth.

“STEM and computer science skills prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow, no matter what zip code they come from or where they plan to live in the future,” said Education Secretary Khalid Mumin. “Pennsylvania’s future depends on the development of a highly skilled workforce able to compete in the global economy. Equitable access to STEM and computer science programs gives students the skills they need to chart their own course and succeed.”

The grant package has three elements:

These grants support high-quality STEM and computer science learning and professional development opportunities in communities across Pennsylvania, including within early learning centers, libraries, out-of-school time providers, career and technical centers, post-secondary institutions and K-12 schools.

The Center for Workforce Information and Analysis at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry has projected that by 2028, there will be about 157,000 more occupations in Pennsylvania that require mathematics knowledge (representing 65 percent of all employment in the commonwealth), and about 125,000 more occupations that require knowledge in computers and electronics (representing 54 percent of all employment).