Manufacturers from around Ohio and Marion Technical College recently hosted two Manufacturing Boot Camps for educators in the area to better inform them of the needs of the local manufacturing industry before they go on to educate students throughout the school year.
Two recent Manufacturing Boot Camps have served to help more than 20 educators from Ohio start the school year off with some new knowledge of their own. Those participating in the boot camp toured manufacturers, learned about new smart manufacturing techniques, and received a look at the ever shifting needs of the members of the local manufacturing community.
Wilson Bohannan, Whirlpool, STAR Turbine, Sakamura, RiAlto, POET, Ohio Health Biomedical Engineering, Nucor Steel, Mennell Milling, Graphic Packaging, and ArcelorMittal opened the doors to their factories to allow administrators, counselors, teachers, and other educators contemporary information on their hiring needs as well as expectations for the future.
The director of Engineering Technologies Dr. Elizabeth Azhikannickal also gave a tour of their engineering labs. Dr. Azhikannickal also informed members of the boot camp on the demand the industry is seeing for smart manufacturing, as well as Marion Technical College’s new micro certificate, and an explanation of how that aligns with future needs.
In an article published on Marion Technical College’s website, Dianne Shuring, a teacher with Pleasant Local School District, was quoted about the experience, saying, “This was the most beneficial teacher education program in which I have ever participated! I learned so much about companies and opportunities in Marion that I did not even know existed! It really helps me to understand the links that must be made between K-12, OSUM/MTC/Tri-Rivers and manufacturing companies in order to have students who are ready to fill positions and grow within the companies. I recommend EVERY teacher and administrator participate in a teacher bootcamp!”
Jill Rainey, who serves as a teacher at North Union Local Schools, weighed in about her experience, as well, saying, “My experience at the Marion Manufacturing Bootcamp went beyond what I anticipated. It was fascinating to tour and talk with manufacturers in Marion County and look at it through the lens of an educator in order to better educate and build relevant skills to our students.”
Chemistry and Physics teacher Lauren Seas similarly had positive things to say about the boot camp: “This is just an energizing week. I go back to school and tell other teachers, ‘You should do it!’ Every year, I learn something new. We are creating tomorrow’s leaders.”
Many Marion Technical College students are graduates from the local high schools that were represented by boot camp participants.
Tad Douce, director of technology at River Valley Local Schools, talked about why this is such an important connection, saying, “As an educator, it was great to get feedback from the students at Marion Tech on how we can better prepare them for the next generation of careers.”
Participating educators were representing Upper Sandusky Schools, Tri-Rivers Career Center, River Valley, Ridgedale, Pleasant, North Union, Marion City, and Elgin.
Patricia Niederkohr, a teacher from Upper Sandusky Exempted Village Schools, talked about what she got out of the boot camp, saying, “The Manufacturing Bootcamp opened my eyes to the many diverse ways that teachers of all subjects, and all aged students, could help to prepare the future workforce with lessons in our own classrooms. I am even more inspired to work with many of my coworkers to collaborate on these types on projects!”
Honda Axthelm, a teacher from Taft Elementary in Marion City Schools, was also quoted about her experience, saying, “I absolutely loved spending a week doing teacher bootcamp. Not only did I learn a lot about the manufacturing in Marion, but I met some awesome teachers in our county and made some new connections. I am also able to take back what I learned to my colleagues, principals and students. The boot camp allowed me to experience Marion in a new way. It allowed me to see what is manufactured right here in our city. I am looking forward to partnering with these businesses to introduce my elementary aged students to the opportunities they can have right here in their hometown!”
Marion City School’s Kristen Holden, who serves as a computer science teacher, talked about how she will be moving into this new school year with the information she gathered from the bootcamp: “Attending the Teacher Manufacturing Boot Camp has been inspirational for me both personally and professionally. I highly recommend this camp to any teacher seeking to update their teaching practice and empower their students with 21st-century skills. It's an investment that will have a lasting impact on the career pathway of your students. What sets this camp apart is the exceptional personal mentorship and guidance from manufacturing industry professionals. They not only shared their expertise but also inspired us with their stories of success in the manufacturing field. The networking opportunities allowed me to connect with like-minded educators from different backgrounds, fostering a community of support and collaboration.”
Participating teachers and educators were presented with continuing education credit by attending the manufacturing boot camps. Marion Technical College also hosted the only Teachers’ Manufacturing Boot Camp 2.0 in the state, which took into account feedback from current college students and the window into the new Intel certificate when designing programming for the camp. The boot camps are paid for by Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted’s Office of Workforce Transformation.
The Program Manager for America’s Workforce Development Capital, Tami Galloway, talked about the importance of informing educators on the needs of the industry so that students can be better prepared for their time in the workforce after graduation, saying, “Marion has a wealth of opportunities for careers. When students find the right skills to land in-demand jobs, we all benefit. We couldn’t have hosted these camps without the strong collaboration from local manufacturers and educators.”
Galloway, as well as educators, employers, and manufacturing partners are working together to host the annual Careers Made in Marion Expo, which will take place at the Marion County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, October 17. The expo will show local high school seniors many of the options they have for career paths in their community. More information about the expo and similar events can be found online.
More information about Marion Technical College can be found at the school’s website.