We salute Tri-C for its innovation and commitment to manufacturing careers! Here’s where we found the article, and here’s the text.
Tri-C’s award-winning Manufacturing Technology Center of Excellence provides students with an accelerated pathway to completion and a pipeline to industry through training in high-demand areas. Through this Center, the College serves as the catalyst for connective solutions between industry, education and the community.
Manufacturing in Northeast Ohio continues to be an economic driver in the region. It accounts for 20 percent of the region’s GDP, providing high-growth and high-demand occupations and family-sustaining wages. However, a gap between available jobs and the training of potential workers compounds the challenge of the advancing age of incumbent employees, with the industry facing the impending exodus of one-third of its workforce. In order to answer the call for a highly skilled workforce and ensure student success, Tri-C has developed a strategic approach through integrated career pathways.
The Manufacturing Technology Center features programs designed around systems integration, establishing industry partnerships with companies like FirstEnergy, Swagelok and ArcelorMittal. Training options include integrated academic and workforce programming with redesigned, flexible offerings. New highdemand programs offer access to degrees, certificates and globally recognized credentials with labor market value. A variety of fast-track training options maximizes flexibility, shortens time to completion and better prepares students for their chosen fields.
Students are afforded real-world work experiences; little to no debt upon graduation; high-touch, cohort-based training; and integrated supports to help them along their path to success. As a result, credit enrollment in manufacturing and engineering has increased 25 percent to more than 1,500 students. More than 500 students are enrolled in employer-focused training. Students have earned more than 4,300 certificates of value, and more students are continuing to graduation.
These innovative pathways also earned Tri-C its first national Bellwether Award from the Community College Futures Assembly earlier this year. The award highlights trendsetting programs that other colleges might find worthy of replicating. Tri-C is one of only three community colleges in Ohio to be named a Bellwether winner since the award debuted in 1995.
Learn more about Tri-C’s MFG programs here.