LIMA, OH (WLIO) - On Tuesday, Nutrien announced a $100,000 investment in the "Trade-Up" pre-apprenticeship program at the new Innovation Hub in Lima's Central District, located at 219 S. Central Avenue in Lima.
The program is designed to provide training and support for adults who are interested in exploring a career in the trades. The Hub will offer hands-on classes in various areas, such as electrical, contracting, and machining. After their training, students will get connected to local industries and businesses, leading to full apprenticeships.
"So we're actually opening it up to adults, anybody 18 or older that maybe thinks they have an interest in the trades, isn't really sure what they want to go back to school for or if they want to go into the workforce, or maybe would like to explore skilled trades but they don't know where to start. So this is a great starting point for them," explained Tara Shephard, Innovation Hub chair.
"We need everybody. We need electricians. We need plumbers. We need insulators. You name it, we need them. Whether we're using them or our contractors are using them. We use a lot of local contractors. Companies like Smith-Boughan, Tuttle, and Sidney Electric- they're all looking for skilled trades folks as well, so this is a win-win across the board for all of us to try to get more people interested in the trades," said Russ Decker, special projects manager at Nutrien.
The program is open to anyone 18 or older with an interest in the trades. There is no cost for participating, and it is set to start in the fall. You can visit the Central District's website at https://www.centraldistrictlima.com/the-hub.html for more information.
