2 days ago
Columbus schools take part in manufacturing prep courses
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ten school districts across Ohio are receiving a grant for a new manufacturing career tech program.
Almost all companies rely on manufacturers and the Ohio STEM Learning Network said the state currently has a big manufacturing talent gap. The Manufacturing Pathways Pilot Program will work to close it.
As more companies invest in central Ohio, leaders at the STEM Learning Network, which is run by Battelle, realized skilled manufacturers are going to be needed every step of the way.
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'When you think about companies like Honda and Intel who are making significant investments in our manufacturing infrastructure, those companies need employees, so this program will help create pathways for these students,' Heather Sherman, the pilot program manager at Battelle, said.
Columbus City Schools is one of the ten districts statewide receiving a grant for the manufacturing program.
Starting in the fall, students at four Columbus high schools are going to get real-world experiences through the grant money.
'To be able to credential students in any of these in-demand fields, the equipment is extremely expensive, and so we are using pretty much the entire grant to buy the equipment,' Jenny Meade, the director of Columbus City's Career Tech Education, said.
Program leaders said students will leave the manufacturing pilot program with the right skills and credentials needed to start working immediately or to continue their education in college.
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'I think students don't always know that with a high school diploma and some additional credentials, they can be positioned to work in advanced manufacturing and earn family-sustaining wages,' Sherman said.
Amare Kilgore just graduated from Columbus City Schools and took some manufacturing classes during his school career. He said the incoming pilot program is going to better prepare students for the future.
'We actually got to see firsthand some of the stuff that they'll be getting,' Kilgore said. 'From what we've all seen, it's going to be great. The juniors got to see it and they were pumped. They were excited to be able to say, like, 'I'm going to be able to do this.''
The Manufacturing Pathways Pilot program will begin at the ten school districts in the fall and run through 2026. Then, the goal is to expand it to as many Ohio schools as possible so even more students receive this opportunity.
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