51ĀŅĀ×

51ĀŅĀ× President M. Duane Nellis has signed a letter of commitment to join Ohio TechNet 2.0, a statewide consortium of colleges and universities working toward developing skills in high-tech manufacturing for employers in Ohio.

This commitment complements the Universityā€™s Fearlessly First Strategic Framework theme of ā€œResearch and Knowledge Discovery in Support of Vibrant Communities.ā€ By partnering with , 51ĀŅĀ× can help improve workforce development by training students to be prepared for manufacturing jobs available in the state.

ā€œWe look forward to working toward Ohio TechNetā€™s vision to serve as a leading talent resource for the stateā€™s manufacturing companies by educating and training the workforce and increasing strategic partnerships between Ohioā€™s higher education system and manufacturers,ā€ Nellis said.

Manufacturing is the top private sector industry for employment in Ohio and continues to grow. However, there is a widening gap between the jobs available and the number of qualified applications. In response to this challenge, Ohio manufacturers are addressing workforce gaps by implementing industry-led partnerships and facilitating collaboration between educators and economic and workforce development professionals. Ohio TechNet coordinates higher educationā€™s efforts to support these workforce needs.  

Through Ohio TechNet, dozens of new or enhanced programs have trained thousands of individuals since 2014 to be prepared for work in the manufacturing field. It has launched and is leading the expansion of to help Ohio colleges and universities connect with adults whose on-the-job training could convert to college credit. It will also allow students to enter careers in the manufacturing field faster than traditional instruction.