How important is it that educational institutions and the labor market join forces to create a strong economy in the United States? The Brookings Institution, an independent, nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C., says it is imperative.
The Institution says that “opportunities to learn on-the-job and to have that learning recognized for credit and credentialing — whether through an entry-level program like apprenticeships or professional development to support career advancement — must be scaled to meet the demands of today’s labor market.”
The need is particularly acute in manufacturing. According to the Manufacturing Institute, “as many as 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing jobs by 2030” will exist, “absent efforts to prepare Americans to fill them.” As the world immerses itself in the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, the shift to AI, robotics, biotechnologies and other advancements is arriving at an unprecedented rate.
Fortunately, Lorain County has become a leader and state model for the partnering of educational opportunities and the work world. Largely because of two schools, Lorain County JVS (LCJVS) and Lorain County Community College (LCCC), the region has established a healthy pipeline to match well-trained students to relevant employers and good paying careers. That in turn, allows businesses to grow and thrive and contribute to the economy.
“We have kept companies here because we are able to fill workforce jobs and because LCCC and LCJVS can pivot to provide the necessary training,” says Gallo.
Lorain County Joint Vocational School
LCJVS in Oberlin has an in-house enrollment of about 1,300 students and draws from 13 school districts. It offers a number of both traditional and non-traditional pathways for students to kickstart their chosen careers, especially in the manufacturing arena. LCJVS’s State Recognized Pre-apprenticeship Programs are a strong example. According to LCJVS, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce reported 94.7% of career-technical education students were employed, continuing education, in an apprenticeship, enlisted in the military or in a service program within six months of leaving high school in 2023.
Pairing students with local companies is accomplished in several ways, according to Brandon Kushinski, EdD, LCJVS assistant principal, who has been a member of the school’s administration since 2015. Sometimes a company will approach the school, wishing to establish a partnership, anticipating a need for employees with specific, often new skills. Other times, community leaders and/or the school will identify a company that could offer real world work experience and a ground floor entry to students.
“Our staff has developed decades-long relationships with certain companies. That’s where a lot of the magic happens,” says Dr. Kushinski. “Those are the relationships that really help us. John Green, Precision Machine Technology instructor, is one of the best in the building. They knows everyone in manufacturing in the county. If we have a student who struggles with transportation, but lives nearby a certain company doing what he is learning, John will ask if the company has a place for him.”
Dr. Kushinski adds “part of our role is to ensure students work in places where they are valued,” and where they get an experience different from what they may find if they just sought employment on their own.
“My grandpa worked at and retired from the old Ford plant here. That is a lot of other people’s story, too. But it’s not like that anymore,” says Dr. Kushinski. “Students need to be prepared before they graduate high school.”
The assistant principal finds it particularly satisfying when former students return to LCJVS as mentors, volunteers, company recruiters or just friends. One of the advantages to that interaction for current students is that these visiting individuals know what today’s future employees need.
“Employers also come to the school, give of their time and interview students. But the students also ask questions of the employers,” says Dr. Kushinski. “And that helps everyone understand each other. Some students really want to work for a company that shows social awareness.”
Lorain County Community College
Cindy Kushner, director of LCCC’s School, Workforce and Community Partnerships, agrees with Dr. Kushinski that it is “those deep relationships and ongoing conversations” between educational institutions and industry that will ensure a bright future for both students and employers. Kushner emphasizes that exposure is one of the best ways to reach students.
“We try to make sure that there is an awareness beyond what students see on social media and television about what jobs are in our region,” says Kushner. “We have some really amazing opportunities here, but they are not necessarily what students see.”
The Microelectronic Manufacturing (MEMS) program is one such opportunity. The emerging technology requires knowledge in electronics, computer-aided drafting, soldering and microscopic work. LCCC identifies MEMS as technology with “unlimited growth potential and a chance for students to work with groundbreaking devices.” The program is currently available at Midview High School in Eaton Township.
A number of schools across the state offer participation in robotics clubs, which is fine for a student learning the basics. But the LCCC robotics program at Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst “closes a gap between what students learn in a club and what they are learning in real world experience,” according to Kushner. The Certificate of Completion in Robotics Operator prepares students with basic foundation skills which can lead to certificates and degrees.
Have an idea for better athletic safety? Cancer detection? Clean water access? LCCC’s FlexFactor is designed to encourage middle school and high school students to tackle real world problems. Students identify a problem, design a hardware solution, create a business model and present their work to a panel of experts. The six-week program involves 20 to 25 different schools every year.
“We couldn’t do our curriculum without our partner employers. And we try to respond when they tell us there is something new they need,” says Kushner. “If we don’t have the experience already, we work together to create the program. It is a true partnership.”
