Schools receive $200K grant

Manufacturing programs at Lake, Geauga schools to benefit

Manufacturing has been identified as a major workforce need in Lake and Geauga counties.

NEXTWORK, the Lake and Geauga Counties Manufacturing K-12 Partnership, is a career and workforce development program created to address the workforce needs and serve as a catalyst to economic prosperity in both counties.

Recognizing the significance of this program, State Rep. Ron Young, R-Leroy Township,

recently presented a $200,000 grant to support this program.

“Helping young people gain the skills necessary to find productive, fulfilling and high paying jobs I believe should be the top priority of our public school system” Young said. “Training and exposing our kids to these in-demand advanced manufacturing opportunities definitely contribute to that mission. The bottom line is these dynamic companies need skilled and motivated talent. Why not provide that talent locally?”

The Lake and Geauga Counties Manufacturing K-12 Partnership is a collaborative effort.

The partners include all Lake and Geauga public school districts, the Alliance for Working Together, the Manufacturing Advocacy Growth Network, the Geauga Growth Partnership and Lakeland Community College.

“Rather than 15 distinct school districts trying to coordinate career development efforts, this project

creates a collaborative, well-coordinated effort,” Wickliffe Schools Director of Strategic Innovation Julie Ramos said. “Further, the project will bring coordination and organization to the manufacturing and the business sector.

NEXTWORK is an example of how this type of collaboration benefits students.

“We are thrilled about the support that the Manufacturing K-12 Partnership project has received,” said Executive Director of Alliance for Working Together Alice Cable. “We believe that connecting manufacturing ambassadors to the schools in a simple way will not only provide students with a broad range of experiences but will also help manufacturers close the skills gap. As students gain more exposure to modern manufacturing, they learn about opportunities they might not have considered. It is our hope that this project will help schools and industry work together in an efficient way.”

The goal is to create a standard process to build awareness of manufacturing careers, opportunities for students to experience all aspects of the manufacturing

industry and a collaborative environment in which the leaders of the manufacturing community work with the leaders in K-12 education to establish programming that best meets the needs of both organizations, Ramos said.

“This project will lead to greater career opportunities for young people and will encourage economic prosperity throughout the region,” said Wickliffe Schools Superintendent Joe Spiccia. “This was made possible by the generous funding from the state of Ohio and through assistance from our legislators.”

According to the news release, the project will increase awareness of manufacturing careers in the region, provide learning opportunities for students through site visits, job shadowing, a speaker series, and other educational programs, and help the manufacturing sector locate qualified candidates to fill open positions. The partnership also fosters a unique environment in which the leaders of the manufacturing community can collaborate with the leaders in K-12 education to establish mutually beneficial programming.