Editor’s Note: This story is sponsored by Area 10 Workforce Development Board.
Seeking higher education past a high school diploma can be time consuming, expensive and flustering. With the Area 10 Workforce Development programs, it does not have to be.
NC State and OSU Mansfield offer degrees, certificates and trainings to help those obtain skills they can use in high-paying jobs.
According to the President of NC State, Dr. Dorey Diab, there are two separate pathways a student can take to gain the necessary knowledge for their desired career. The credit pathway will end in either a two-year or four-year degree and the non-credit pathway is for someone interested in a certificate that can take as little as six months to complete and it is targeted in teaching a very specific skill for the workforce.
Engineers specifically are in high demand in the surrounding communities. Dean of OSU Mansfield, Norman Jones, saw this need a few years ago, and helped to build these programs.
The engineering program at NC State is based on more applied learning while the program at OSU Mansfield is geared towards research and design.
According to Jones, the partnership with NC State is to help students choose a direction that works the best for them and their future. “We want to provide pathways, so as students get their feet wet in college they can adjust and go where they are strongest and where they are most excited,” he said.
North Central State College also offers apprenticeship and internship programs that allow students to receive an education and be employed at the same time or work for a company as a co-op, to make connections for after they graduate, according to Diab.
With these programs readily available right here in the community, once students graduate, job opportunities are waiting for them in neighboring counties.
There are many employment positions waiting to be filled in Ohio within many different careers, including manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals research and more. Whatever road a student decides to take, they will have a leg up against their other competitors if they have a secondary education, according to Jones.
The programs the Area 10 Workforce Development offers help the community to thrive and those within it to strive for greatness.
“When people get trained, they are able to get better jobs, and with better jobs come better salary and benefits and from a community perspective a better standard of living and better quality of life,” said Diab.
Not only are students in these programs receiving a great education, but they are doing so on an affordable level.
“You should not be taking out huge loans to go to college,” Jones said. When enrolling in these programs, students should feel confident knowing their dollars are being spent on a special opportunity that will pave the way for their future that could cost much more at other institutions.
The Area 10 workforce Development programs provide unique opportunities to receive a secondary education. For more information or to enroll, visit adult learning and the career center for your next steps.
