Northwest State Community College was awarded a $607,400 Innovation Grant from the State of Ohio to support expansion of workforce development training at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Center (ATMC) located on the Scott Park Campus of the University of Toledo.
This grant supports a partnership to grow short-term training certificate opportunities for the region in partnership with Terra State Community College.
Custom Training Solutions (CTS), a division of Northwest State, has been providing workforce development training at Scott Park for over eight years and on their Archbold campus for over 15 years. Over the past two years Northwest State and Terra State joined forces to expand training options for high demand manufacturing and information technology based jobs in the region. The goal of this partnership is to get more workers trained and employed quickly to support the large demand for skilled workers throughout northwest Ohio. Through shared curriculum, instructors and the ability to develop new programs the colleges are able to keep training both affordable and relevant to the needs of area employers and support the success of the student.
“There are not enough people being trained in skilled manufacturing and information technology based jobs to fill the void being left by retirements and growth being seen in many industries. This shortage is having a significant impact on the entire region and the state of Ohio,” stated Northwest State president Tom Stuckey. “We are not just training unemployed workers, we are providing training opportunities to individuals looking for a career change and those who need to grow their skills to move to a better job with a current employer.”
The shortage of skilled labor is increasing each year as the large baby boom generation is retiring in what some experts refer to as the “silver tsunami.” Industries throughout northwest Ohio report an expectation of losing up to 40 percent of their skilled workforce over the next ten years to retirement. With an aging population and decline in high school age students, northwest Ohio employers are finding it difficult to hire workers prepared for the skilled jobs available. This shortage is impacting expansion and attraction of new businesses.
Programs available through the ATMC at Scott Park include: Information Technology Specialist, Industrial Automation, Robotics Integrated Manufacturing and Truck Driving CDL. There also is a wide range of workforce training programs available through Northwest State on the Archbold Campus. For more information call 419.267.1493 or visit www.trainwithcts.com
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