The district received a $2.8 million career technical education expansion grant from the state of Ohio in 2023 to support the development of a new advanced manufacturing program and to enhance its existing engineering facilities.
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
Fairmont CTC engineering instructor Brett Jenkins said the district’s business partners came out and explained today’s jobs and the skills needed to the schools, as well as state leaders to help get funding.
“And with that information, we were able to purchase the equipment needed to expand these types of skills to our students. That way they can have jobs immediately after they graduate,” Jenkins said. “We have technology out there that’s being used today, and our students are prepared for it.”
Engineering students Sadie Lee and Tia Weiss together presented their experiences with the equipment and space, which became ready at the later part of last school year but will now be available for its first full year.
“With the new room, there is so much more opportunity for students like us to experiment and enjoy engineering,” Lee said.
From carving a yo-yo on a CNC machine — a Computer Numerical Control machine — with code they wrote to designing and 3D-printing windmill wings to teach elementary age kids about aerodynamics, students will have multiple ways to take advantage of these tools, Lee and Weiss said.
“The opportunities with these advanced machines are endless,” Weiss said.
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
The advanced manufacturing program has 48 juniors and seniors, with 24 in each grade level, Will said.
The expansion also has grown the engineering program to a cap of 19 students to 24, she said.
“The high-end manufacturing jobs of tomorrow will be advanced, and they will require critical skillsets. Together, we must work to build the workforce of the future, one that can help companies and Kettering compete and win at an international level,” said Adam Millat, executive vice president of Millat Industries.
Among attendees Thursday were Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Steve Dakin; state Rep. Andrea White, R-Kettering; Dee Smith, director of the Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education; and Kettering city leaders Mayor Peggy Lehner, Vice Mayor Jacque Fisher, Councilman Shane Sullivan and City Manager Matt Greeson. Another industry leader who gave remarks was Brandon Rinehart, vice president of innovation for DRT.
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
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