A unique and new educational training recently hit the Galion area.

With the benefits of being off during summer, yet still needing continuing education classes, a Crawford County Teacher Manufacturing Camp involved several teachers and occurred over multiple days throughout June.

The Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce partnered with Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center in reaching out to six local manufacturers to learn what current needs they have. Organized through Ashland University, this helps bridge the gap between high school students and the workforce, while enabling teachers to learn from manufacturers.

Ten total educators — from middle and high school — began the training during the first full week of June. The men and women came from Buckeye Central, Crestline, Galion, Highland, Sacred Heart, Shelby and Wynford. A majority were math teachers.

Morrow and Richland counties also held similar trainings during the second week of June.

In order to receive credit through Ashland, teachers had to prepare a presentation, including a lesson plan about something germane they saw during the trip that they can take back to their students in the fall. These presentations took place June 21.

For example, an industrial arts teacher made the point of how it would be beneficial for students to obtain their OSHA certification before graduating from high school, in order to list that as a credential on their resume.

Galion-Crestline Chamber Executive Director Miranda Jones believes that students and businesses benefited from the camp, but also educators, who now have firsthand experience of what various careers entail.

“The main focus is to let educators know of job opportunities they can tell their students about right here in Crawford, and also to help connect the businesses to those educators, because that’s who the business is going to look to for their workforce of tomorrow,” Jones explained. “A lot of awareness also was brought to the fact that our manufacturers are willing to take high school students, give them a couple years of training within their organization, and they’re willing to pay for those kids to go to college and advance within their organization. … They are willing to invest that money back in you so you can advance within their company.”

A.J. Kaufman is a correspondent for the Galion Inquirer.