State Sen. Nick Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton, has announced that $499,383 in Schools-to-Work grants for Lehigh and Northampton counties to strengthen workforce development opportunities for local students by connecting classroom learning with hands-on career training in high-demand industries.

The funding is part of a $2.7 million statewide investment announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry to support the expansion and creation of 11 Schools-to-Work programs across the commonwealth.

Investments include:

• Northampton Area School District (Northampton County) — $249,383.

The funding will support the creation of a chemistry lab pre-apprenticeship program that prepares students for careers in laboratory science, health care and advanced manufacturing.

• Lehigh Carbon Community College (Lehigh and Carbon counties) — $250,000.

The funding will pilot electrician and fiber optics training programs to prepare students for pre-apprenticeships and careers in the expanding electrical and data center workforce.