Workforce & Education

Developing skills for today’s workforce

Jackson County, Ohio has long taken a serious approach to ensuring that local workers and students gain the skills needed by area employers. Educators and residents alike recognize that the key to maintaining our area’s economic health is a straight path between schools and the workplace. Those efforts include a great deal of cooperation between local K-12 school districts and postsecondary education resources. For example, junior high school students learn about careers in manufacturing through the Summer Manufacturing Institute with activities focused on science, technology, engineering, and math, along with tours of local manufacturers.

The Buckeye Hills Career Center provides adult and high school training programs for business and industry in welding, electricity, electronics, PLC’s, robotics, CNC’s, building trades, HVAC, and many others. Programs provide classroom learning along with hands-on training using simulators and trainers to provide the necessary skills to be successful in today’s environment.”

The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College have a location in Jackson County. They partner with the area employers and other stakeholders to identify and deliver custom training in their facilities, as well as at employer sites. The school provides access to three mobile labs that allow onsite training in advanced manufacturing, PLC systems, additive manufacturing (including 3-D printing), and environmental safety. Available services include maintenance and assessment testing, and credit and non-credit programs in electrical, welding, PLC systems, process improvement, professional and soft skills, fine woodworking, industrial automation and maintenance, LEAN/Six Sigma, computer skills, and others.

Customized training and other workforce development programs are available through Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership.