After more than a decade of planning the Erie County Technical School will soon undergo major renovations.

The Director of the Erie County Technical School says this $34 million upgrade is much needed since the school was built in 1968.

“We want to get out in front of those infrastructure problems to make sure that we can contain the issues that we have behind the walls,” said Joe Tarasovitch, Director of the Erie County Technical School.

These renovations include expanding the culinary arts lab. There will also be a new area dedicated to early childhood education and potential upgrades to the precision machine lab.

“When the students come here, they’re going to have an improved facility but with the best technology available. We can continue to do that,” Tarasovitch said.

After about 20 years of planning, all 11 school districts are on board to benefit students across the county.

“Everybody recognizes the importance of the tech school and what it means to the community, especially with the way things are going right now,” said Del Vonvolkenburg, Facilities Manager at the Erie County Technical School.

The Facilities Manager says he meets with local manufacturers to make sure the school has the proper equipment. He says, that way, students are prepared for the workforce. He adds that the upgrades are necessary to service the equipment.

“They can go right from here into employment so that infrastructure supports that. If we can’t energize the equipment, we can’t use it to teach on,” Vonvolkenburg said.

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