VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (May 1, 2023) – Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Centura College, and Tidewater Tech (ACT) are pleased to announce their partnership with Next Step to Success (NSTS), the recipient of a $53,125 Program for Improving Capacity and Capability (PICC) conditional grant from the City of Norfolk. Next Step to Success, a division of the James Barry Robinson Institute, works with Norfolk youth who hail from neighborhoods with high concentrations of poverty. The mission of NSTS is to help youth in Norfolk build the independent and resilient character necessary to enjoy fulfilling lives as adults in the community.
The PICC grant will allow NSTS to expand their capacity 30% by subcontracting with Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Centura College, and Tidewater Tech. The ACT family of schools will provide after school and summer learning sessions focused on the skilled trades – aviation maintenance, medical assisting, medical billing and coding, wind turbine maintenance, automotive maintenance, carpentry, HVAC maintenance, building maintenance, and welding. By exposing youth to the array of skilled trade careers and providing the support they need to set a path for future success, NSTS and ACT believe they will have a positive ripple effect on the community at large.
Starting in the summer of 2023, students participating in the NSTS program will have the opportunity to fly drones, operate a flight simulator, code robotics with Ozobots from the Smithsonian, complete woodworking projects, and learn about life-skills involving proactive auto maintenance, dental hygiene, and CPR.
NSTS Executive Director, Monique Turner-Lopez says, “NSTS is honored to receive the PICC grant from the City of Norfolk which will allow our program to serve more Norfolk youth and expand their awareness of trade-related careers. National research shows that training in the trades can have greater earning potential than a traditional college education. In our quest to help youth fulfill their potential, it is our goal to help Norfolk youth gain greater understanding and age-appropriate skills as it relates to careers in various trades such as HVAC, carpentry, and aviation maintenance.”
