Manufacturers coalition to host career open houses

Staff report

CANFIELD

The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition will host a series of open houses to help attract workers to the manufacturing sector.

Trumbull County Career and Technical Center, 528 Educational Highway, Champion, will host a high-school open house from 6 to 8 p.m. today; Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, 7300 N. Palmyra Road, Canfield, will host a high-school open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 16; and Choffin Career and Technical Center, 200 E. Wood St., Youngstown, will host an adult-education open house from 6 to 8 p.m. March 1.

During the open houses, members of MVMC, a coalition of more than a dozen local manufacturers and education and work-force members, will provide input regarding the manufacturing industry.

Coalition members have many unfilled positions with wages ranging from $13 to $24 per hour. The group forecasts 33 percent industry growth during the next two to three years.

Approximately 1,195 Mahoning Valley manufacturers employ nearly 40,000 people.

Local career centers offer two-year high-school programs, adult-education career-development programs and short-term enhancement courses to train and educate new employees for the manufacturing sector.

In many programs, students can earn necessary licenses and industry credentials.

High-school courses that can lead to manufacturing careers include precision machining, welding, electricity, engineering and power equipment.

Adult-education programs can range from long-term development programs such as industrial technology to short-term enhancement courses such as welding, boiler plant and hydraulics.

Information about these and other career-and- technical-center programs and courses can be found by visiting www.mvmanufacturing.com.