Center at Kent Trumbull receives ARC federal grant

Staff report

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The Workforce Development and Continuing Studies Center at Kent State University Trumbull Campus has received a $212,250 federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to expand advanced manufacturing training.

Lisa Goetsch is director of Workforce Development and grant project director.

The ARC is a regional economic-development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state and local government.

Established by Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chairman who is appointed by the president. Local participation is provided through multi-county local development districts.

Each year ARC provides funding for several hundred projects in the Appalachian Region, in areas such as business development, education and job training, telecommunications, infrastructure, community development, housing and transportation.

The grant will build on the success of a two-year project in the area of accessible industrial- maintenance training that was developed and implemented by the Workforce Development and Continuing Studies Center.

That program, the result of a $238,754 Department of Labor earmark grant from January 2009, completed a comprehensive job profile and job-task analysis for two high-demand occupations: maintenance technician mechanical and maintenance technician electrical.

Kent State Trumbull worked in partnership with local One Stops to maximize funding and served more than 60 incumbent and dislocated workers in this training program, including maintenance technicians from V&M Star.

As of Oct. 1, 18 workers have completed training, 16 incumbent workers earned a wage increase, and 12 dislocated workers were placed in jobs.

“I am now employed,” said participant Ted Conway, “but the convenience of online courses enabled me to continue in the program.”

The ARC grant will assist in the establishment of a Manufacturing Skills Standards Council Center, establish a mobile computer lab to serve individuals and businesses alike and will aid in the training of an additional 125 workers.

In addition to the online maintenance training, the center will offer hands-on training and industry- recognized credentials to participants. This will include MSSC credentials, OSHA certification and AWS (welding) certification.