Some Hancock County manufacturers are getting the skilled workforce they need by offering students the chance to work and get a degree at the same time.
The program is called The Ohio Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education or OH! FAME and it offers students the chance to go to work three days a week and class at Owens Community College two days a week, where they earn a certificate as an Advanced Manufacturing Technician. Eight students from Northwest Ohio are taking part in the second year of the program and the sponsoring companies see the benefits of having a well-trained workforce.
“The companies get great outcomes from this program because the students are really knowledgeable in a variety of areas, electrical, hydraulics, PLC robotics, and so they are quickly learning the professional practices that are important in the work setting,” says Tricia Valasek, Manager, Raise the Bar Hancock County. “But they're also learning those hands-on skills that will enable them to be technicians and fabricators. They can play multiple roles for the companies when they are finished.”
This is the second class to start the OH! FAME program, which takes 18 months to complete.
