Preparing Workers for Northeast Ohio’s Growing Economy
Posted by ThePlus - 01.10.2011
As Northeast Ohio diversifies and grows its economy, new job opportunities are being created for The Plus region’s robust workforce. Growing industries like bioscience, advanced manufacturing and advanced energy are generating new demands, leading many workers to seek additional training and education. Recognizing this, colleges and universities across The Plus region have begun instituting new programs to prepare workers for careers in these developing fields. Workers once trained in traditional manufacturing are acquiring skills for advanced, higher paying jobs, which these industries are creating.
Proof of this can be seen throughout the state as enrollment in community colleges as well as public colleges and universities has increased substantially. Between 2000 and 2009, enrollment in Ohio’s community colleges increased 44 percent, while enrollment in public colleges and universities increased 25 percent over the same time period. The boom in enrollment is one indication of the success of Northeast Ohio’s colleges and universities.
+Bioscience:
Home to more than 600 medical related organizations, the bioscience field is a major economic driver in Northeast Ohio. As bioscience companies grow, they are increasingly looking to hire skilled workers to help meet their needs. This point was confirmed in 2007 when BioOhio conducted a statewide survey to identify the need for bioscience workforce training. Results showed that there was tremendous opportunity in the area of medical manufacturing, leading to the development of Cuyahoga Community College’s Bioscience Workforce Training & Assessment Center - the first center of its kind in the nation.
Opened during the summer of 2008, Tri-C’s Bioscience Workforce Training & Assessment Center is designed to prepare Ohio workers for careers in the bioscience industry. Workers once employed in the auto industry are now transitioning their skills to make medical devices and more. With employment in this area growing at 12% per year, Tri-C’s Bioscience Training Center is helping individuals fill needed positions while earning higher wages. In fact, the average salary in Northeast Ohio’s bioscience sector is approximately $48,000 a year.
While Northeast Ohio represents the state’s bioscience hub, organizations like BioOhio are developing statewide programs to further develop this thriving industry. In February 2010, BioOhio was awarded $5 million from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. That money is being used to implement the Ohio Bioscience Industry Workforce Preparedness project, which will provide training to 660 displaced or underemployed workers. Northeast Ohio is leading this effort as programs at Tri-C and Lakeland Community College are spreading to other campuses throughout the state. BioOhio’s initiative is also being supported by many Northeast Ohio biomedical companies such as Ben Venue Laboratories, STERIS and Affymetrix.
+Advanced Manufacturing
Just as Northeast Ohio is looking to develop its bioscience workforce, it is also taking steps to enhance workers’ training in the advanced manufacturing sector. Home to some of the world’s most successful manufacturing companies, The Plus region is retooling its traditional manufacturing base to include more advanced manufacturing techniques. Aiding in this process are many of Northeast Ohio’s colleges and universities.
One example of this is taking place at Kent State University’s Trumbull campus. In October 2010, the Workforce Development and Continuing Studies Center at Kent State University Trumbull Campus was awarded a $212,250 federal grant, which it is using to expand advanced manufacturing training throughout Northeast Ohio. Their training program is helping dislocated workers fill needed positions as well as incumbent workers earn higher wages. Each year the Workforce Development and Continuing Studies Center assists more than 3,500 individuals. To learn more about this effort, please read this article from the Business Journal.
In addition to the many workforce retraining programs in place at Northeast Ohio’s colleges, MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network, also offers a variety of educational tools to help develop workers in the advanced manufacturing sector. While advanced manufacturing jobs pay approximately $54,000 a year, they typically require some form of special training. As Northeast Ohio diversifies its economy, the demand for these skilled employees has increased. Recognizing this, MAGNET looks to connect with students of all ages, from middle school, to high school, to adults to provide them with the resources they need to succeed. To learn more about MAGNET’s work in this area, please visit: www.magnetwork.org/education/.
+Advanced Energy
As Northeast Ohio looks to support its growing advanced energy sector, colleges across the region are ramping up their programs to produce highly skilled workers in this industry. In the area of fuel cells, for example, Stark State Community College is partnering with Rolls Royce and other fuel cell manufacturers to generate workers for businesses throughout the region. To aid in this effort, Stark State constructed its $4.7 million Fuel Cell Prototyping Center in 2006, which “assists companies in pre-commercialization prototyping and demonstration.” The Center is helping define Northeast Ohio’s future in fuel cells and advanced energy.
While Stark State is playing a major role in the advancement of fuel cells, Lorain Community College is developing workers for careers in wind energy. In 2009 the school created a new degree, the Alternative Energy Technology –Wind Turbine Major, which teaches students to become wind turbine installation and maintenance professionals. As Northeast Ohio continues to harness wind energy, the field is expected to create thousands of jobs. In fact, “a U.S. Department of Energy study released in May found that wind could provide 20 percent of U.S. electricity by 2030,” signaling the need for skilled wind energy professionals.
+Continuing Education Programs in The Plus
While we only highlighted a few examples of the many ways Northeast Ohio colleges and universities are helping prepare students for careers in growing industries, colleges and universities across the region offer numerous programs for those seeking additional education and training in their area of interest. Follow the links below to learn more about the many continuing education and workforce retraining programs offered throughout The Plus region.
+Ashland University
+Baldwin-Wallace College
+Case Western Reserve University
+Chancellor University
+Cleveland Institute of Art
+Cleveland Institute of Music
+Cleveland State University
+Cuyahoga Community College
+Eastern Gateway Community College
+Hiram College
+John Carroll University
+Kent State University
+Lake Erie College
+Lakeland Community College
+Lorain Community College
+Malone University
+Mount Union College
+Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy
+Notre Dame College
+Oberlin College
+Siegal College of Judaic Studies
+Stark State College
+The College of Wooster
+The University of Akron
+Ursuline College
+Walsh University
+Youngstown State University
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