South-western City schools to launch Adult Training Hub at career academy

The South-western City School District will have a new program designed to help adults earn credentials to give them a start in various in-demand career fields.

The Adult Training Hub program will begin in February at the South-western Career Academy, and more information and registration for the free program is available at swcsdcareertech.com.

“This program is really targeted for those adults in the community who are unemployed or underemployed,” said Amy Schakat, South-western’s coordinator of career-technical education. “The goal is to offer them some shortterm credential opportunities that can help them get their foot in the door for a new career pathway.”

The course offerings will be limited in size and scope, Schakat said.

Participants will not be able to earn full credentials through the program but will be able to gain the certifications they need as a starting point and to obtain an entry level job in a career field, she said.

“The training hub not only helps the adult student – it’s also a way for companies in these fields to find the employees they need to fill the type of positions where they are seeing a shortage of qualified applicants,” Schakat said. “It’s the definition of a win-win program.”

Initial course offerings that are being considered include computer skills for the workplace, blueprint reading, introduction to welding, electrical concepts, industrial technology maintenance and state-tested nurse assistant.

The program is being funded through the latest state budget, Schakat said.

“Rep. Laura Lanese has been really involved in helping get those put into the state budget,” she said.

Lanese (R-grove City) is the state representative for the 23rd District in the Ohio House of Representatives.

A total of $250,000 was included in the budget to pay the cost of instructors for the next two years, Lanese said.

“There used to be a night-time program for community members at the career academy,” she said. “I’m not sure what the source of funding was, but that program was stopped being offered several years ago.

“We have this great facility with labs that are sitting idle at night. Here’s a great way to utilize those labs to help people in our community get the training they need for nice high-paying jobs.”

Anyone interested in serving as an instructor for the training hub should contact Schakat at amy.schakat@swcsd.us or by calling 614-8013000.

Another benefit of the training hub will be helping keep residents in the community, Lanese said.

“I was just talking to a young man who is my son’s age who is moving to Arkansas to receive welding training,” she said. “It’s too late for him to take advantage of the Adult Training Hub, but it’s a program that will help us with the goal of keeping people staying in Ohio.

“Every they time I meet with employers big and small, their biggest concern is the workforce, not only availability of employees but to provide the training prospective employees need. Employers end up have to scale back their operations or find it difficult to ramp up the way they would like.”

The Adult Training Hub has also applied to be an Individual Microcredential Assistance Program provider, Schakat said.

As an IMAP provider, the program will be able to offer credential training and be reimbursed for the cost of the credential, she said.

“There will be no out-of-pocket cost for the adults who participate in the program,” Schakat said.

The training hub will be offered two nights a week at the career academy, 4750 Big Run South Road in Grove City.

The program will be open to residents from throughout central Ohio, Schakat said.

Grove City residents will be able to apply for college scholarships through the city of Grove City and the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce to attend one of the participating colleges or trade schools.

Residents can use the scholarships and credentials in tandem, Schakat said. afroman@thisweeknews.com @Thisweekafroman