Special to The Truth
Twelve Glass City Academy students received their Northwest Ohio Pre-Apprenticeship Program certificates at a ceremony at Friday at the Owens Community College Dana Center for Advanced Manufacturing Training. The students also will earn their OSHA 10 certification and Ohio Means Jobs Readiness seal and complete the Lead 4 Change program.
The ceremony was held in the Dana Center’s Haas Machining Lab.
“These students are coming in with solid entry-level manufacturing skills, which gives them a real advantage in the northwest Ohio job market,” said Charlene Page, Owens executive director of Workforce and Economic Development. “Our goal is to grow machining talent right here in the region. A lot of young people don’t really know what machinists do, but these students have taken the first big step toward that career, and right now, local employers are actively looking for people with this kind of training.”
The students completed the 16-hour basic machining course at the Owens lab at Cherry Street Mission Ministries, learning many outcomes including how machining produces goods used in the manufacturing environment. The course covered machine types, tools and tooling, measuring equipment, machine safety and their application in industry.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, machinists in Toledo earn a median annual salary of approximately $57,000.
“It teaches you the basics of what you’re supposed to do, step-by-step, how to take care of it, how to make it,” graduate Rhia’Na Smith said. “It wasn’t overwhelming like I thought it would be. It was easy to keep in my mind, once I went slow and took my time and made sure I wasn’t hurting myself or others by being prepared.
“You get to meet some amazing people, you get to work together with people and make some friends along the way, and you can add something to your resume that can help you get better jobs with better pay.”
In addition to Page, speakers at the graduation included Glass City Academy interim director Jennifer Globig, Cherry Street Mission Ministries president and CEO Ann Ebert and Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce vice president for talent and workforce Sara Swisher.
This program was developed as a partnership between Owens, the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, Cherry Street Mission Ministries, Glass City Academy, Wood County OMJ/JFS and the Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West. Red Wing Boots in Maumee donated a pair of boots for each graduate.
Owens Community College has served northwest Ohio since 1965 as an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education with an open-door admission policy. Through intentional, adaptive and empowering education, Owens offers more than 160 academic programs to be the first choice for students, employers and the community. As a conduit to changing lives for the better, Owens creates pathways for success. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.