Shawnee State University and south-central Ohio’s five leading career and technical centers are joining together to develop a mission-critical talent pipeline of the high school and adult learners that will feed the region's emerging technical workforce needs.
Shawnee State University President Eric Andrew Braun joins superintendents from the partner schools for the official kick-off of ShawneeWorks. From left to right, Pike County Career Technology Center Superintendent Eric Meredith, Buckeye Hills Career Center Superintendent Jamie Nash, SSU President Eric Andrew Braun, Scioto County Career Technical Center Superintendent Kyle Copley, and Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center Superintendent Jonathan Davis. Absent from photo, Southern Hills Career & Technical Center Superintendent Kevin Kratzer.
ShawneeWORKS is an innovative workforce and educational attainment initiative that expands dual credit and College Credit Plus between partner schools, provides direct entry into the workforce for CTC graduates, and streamlines admissions into two-and four-year applied technical degree programs. Students and employers will realize lower educational costs and a faster time to credential and degree completion.
“Demand for graduates with applied technical skills is exploding throughout southern Ohio,” said SSU President Eric Andrew Braun. “This new partnership is a natural extension of the focus shared by Shawnee State University and our region’s outstanding career technical centers to provide students with the education and experience they need to fill in-demand jobs."
Inaugural partner schools include Scioto County Career Technical Center, Pike County Career Technology Center, Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center, Buckeye Hills Career Center, and Southern Hills Career & Technical Center.
“Shawnee State has demonstrated what is possible when higher education and career centers choose collaboration over competition. By putting students at the center of every conversation, we’re building stronger pathways and opening more doors for the students we serve, in the region we all love,” said Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center Superintendent Jonathan Davis.
Buckeye Hills Career Center Superintendent Jamie Nash says the program is a win for everyone involved.
“This collaboration represents a new vision for southern Ohio. Education and industry working as one to create seamless pathways from the classroom to meaningful careers. Together, we’re not simply preparing people for jobs; we’re developing talent, strengthening our region, and creating pathways to successful lives.”
The ShawneeWORKS partnership provides a streamlined regional recruitment network that will help ensure maximum opportunity for all students.
“This unique partnership is the first of its kind for us. ShawneeWORKS will help provide students of southern Ohio with an educational pathway well beyond the walls of our institutions,” said Scioto County CTC Superintendent Kyle Copley.
Students at the five regional career technology centers can begin taking advantage of ShawneeWORKS educational benefits this year.
More information on ShawneeWORKS is available at shawnee.edu/shawnee-works.