This summer, educators from districts in Crawford, Morrow County, and Richland counties had the opportunity to participate in the first Teacher Business Boot Camps. Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center (MOESC)’s Business Advisory Council and economic development and Chamber of Commerce partners in each county organized these programs to show teachers what goes on behind the scenes in manufacturing in each county through tours of local manufacturing facilities.
Participants gained first-hand experience with the rewarding careers available in manufacturing and the skills students need to obtain and retain these local positions.
Educators who applied for this professional development opportunity and were selected to participate in the boot camp received the following benefits:
• Three graduate credits from Ashland University at a rate of $125 out-of-pocket cost for the teacher (a $415 savings being funded through the Lt. Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation).
• Materials to use in the classroom based on information learned throughout the program.
• Instruction and guidance from top-level professionals at participating businesses, Mid-Ohio ESC, and local economic development and Chamber of Commerce partners.
In addition, IST in Richland County sponsored a free 3-D printer for a Richland County boot camp teacher participant who designed a lesson, unit, or project that best exemplified the use of 3-D printing in a manufacturing setting. IST also covered the remaining costs ($125 per teacher) of the fees for teachers who completed the program to earn graduate credits from Ashland University. Mid-Ohio would like to thank IST for its generosity.
During the week-long program, educators had the opportunity to explore the workforce development needs and opportunities in their respective communities so those educators could use the experiences to strengthen classroom career readiness connections that are embedded in core subject area instruction. All educators were required to create a project/unit to use with students during the 2023-24 school year and present this project to businesses and administrators on the final day of the boot camp.
Amy Wood, Mid-Ohio ESC’s director of grants and special projects, stated, “Teachers are inherently our daily career readiness advisors. Mid-Ohio’s teacher boot camps were a meaningful way for teachers to enhance their understanding of the current landscape of local manufacturing career opportunities, and then use that knowledge to better integrate career-connected learning into their classrooms this fall.”
Due to the success of the program, Wood expects teacher boot camps to be offered again next summer.
MOESC would like to thank the following businesses, organizations, and individuals for helping make this event a success: Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce, Morrow County Development Office, Richland Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development, Jay Industries, Phillips Tube, Jones, Inc., Gorman Rupp, Skybox, GRI Bellville, Major Metals, DarPro Storage Solutions, Lincoln Center Manufacturing, Lubrication Specialties Inc., Dollar Tree of Marengo, Cardington Yutaka Technologies, Baillie Lumber, IB Tech, Crossroads Factory Store, Carter Machine Co., Covert Manufacturing, CTR Holdings, Elliot Machine Works, OSU-Mansfield and Dr. Eric M. Anderman, Marion Technical College, Tri-Rivers Career Center, and OSU-Marion.
Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center’s Business Advisory Council represents the following school districts in Richland, Morrow, and Crawford Counties: Cardington-Lincoln Local Schools, Clearfork Valley Local Schools, Crestline Exempted Village Schools, Crestview Local Schools, GOAL Digital Academy, Highland Local Schools, Lexington Local Schools, Lucas Local Schools, Madison Local Schools, Mansfield City Schools, Mount Gilead Exempted Village Schools, Northmor Local Schools, Plymouth Shiloh Local Schools, and Shelby City Schools.
Submitted by the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center.
