A Southern Virginia economic development and education partnership has been awarded a $648,000 state grant to prepare local students for high-growth careers in information technology, advanced manufacturing, and related fields.

According to a press release, the Go-TEC (Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers) collaborative was one of nine regional projects announced recently by Gov. Ralph Northam to receive funding through GO Virginia (Growth and Opportunity for Virginia).

“It was the only project chosen for funding in Region 3, which includes the cities of Danville and Martinsville; and the counties of Pittsylvania, Halifax, Henry, Patrick, Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward,” officials said in a press release.

These grants are for “projects that each region identified as vital to their efforts to diversify the regional economy, strengthen their workforce, and support collaborative programs between localities, public entities and private businesses,” according to a release from the governor’s office.

Go-TEC is a partnership between Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC), Danville Community College, Patrick Henry Community College, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center in South Boston, the New College Institute and the K-12 school systems in their service areas.

SVCC’s plan is to provide professional development training for junior high and high school teachers.