MANSFIELD — The Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center Business Advisory Council met Wednesday, bringing regional education and business leaders together to review county action plans and collaborate on workforce development strategies.
Casie Grau, school-community partnership coordinator, opened the meeting by sharing insights from pre-meeting survey results and highlighting the Business Advisory Council Plan.
“Our team at Mid-Ohio ESC looks forward to the continued impact of career-connected programs organized under our Business Advisory Council umbrella this school year,” Grau said.
Attendees received updates from county action teams, including reports from Crystal Dean, workforce development manager with the Crawford Partnership, and Randi Spoon, workforce development coordinator and grant specialist with the Morrow County Development Office.
Clint Knight, workforce development director for the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, gave a presentation on the “Future of Work.”
Ron Bise, plant manager II at Charter Next Generation, presented on the “Current State of Business,” followed by an optional facility tour of the company’s plant.
Remaining council meetings for the 2026-27 school year are:
- Nov. 18: Crawford County (location and topics to be determined)
- Feb. 24, 2027: Morrow County (location and topics to be determined)
- April 21, 2027: Location and topics to be determined
TurboCert Expansion
Mid-Ohio ESC is expanding its TurboCert program this semester, offering high school students industry-recognized credentials and fast-track career training. Current offerings include:
- Crawford County (The Crawford Success Center): Phlebotomy and drone operations and safety
- Morrow County (The Miller Center in Cardington): OpTIC fiber splicing training
- Richland County (MOESC): Phlebotomy
Students interested in participating during the second semester should contact their guidance counselor or email their county program coordinator:
- Crawford County: Kevin Fourman at fourman.kevin@moesc.net
- Morrow and Richland counties: Bethany Rachel at rachel.bethany@moesc.net
Mentorship Program Recruitment
Recruitment is underway for the specialized Speech-Language Pathologist and School Psychologist Mentorship Program. High school students interested in exploring these education and health care fields must submit applications by late October. The program starts in January 2027.
Morrow and Richland county students can apply through guidance counselors by contacting Bethany Rachel, connected coordinator, at rachel.bethany@moesc.net. Crawford County students can apply through guidance counselors by contacting Kevin Fourman, educational consultant and special programs coordinator, at fourman.kevin@moesc.net.
Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center partners with school districts to provide leadership, expertise and specialized services supporting student achievement and organizational success. MOESC facilitates strategic planning and provides professional development along with specialized academic and student support services — including curriculum, gifted and special education consultation, speech-language pathology, psychology, special education and occupational therapy — to 13 school districts serving more than 20,000 students across Crawford, Morrow and Richland counties.