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Lorain County Community College is one of 11 education and training institutions featured in the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s (OMA) inaugural statewide Workforce Training Directory – and one of just seven to earn a Gold Star designation for its work supporting manufacturing workforce development.
The new resource helps Ohio employers identify training programs, strengthen partnerships with educators, and build the skilled workforce needed to compete. Gold Star Institutions, like LCCC, earned recognition for deeper engagement in employer-aligned training, career awareness, talent pipeline development, and work-based learning.
“Our designation as a Gold Star Institution is a direct reflection of LCCC’s collaborative nature and innovative culture when it comes to addressing employers’ talent needs,” said Terri Sandu, Director of Talent and Business Innovation at LCCC. “Since its founding, LCCC has been rooted in the needs of manufacturers in Northeast Ohio and throughout the state, and those partnerships we’ve built run deep. It’s more than just customized training at LCCC; we build comprehensive workforce solutions alongside our employer partners.”
Participating institutions, representing career-technical centers, Ohio Technical Centers, community colleges, universities and specialized training providers, are recognized through a tiered partnership program designed to encourage even stronger connections between education and manufacturing. Through the program, OMA recognizes institutions demonstrating a commitment to manufacturing workforce development and stronger alignment with employer needs.
“The directory is a central component of OMA’s Workforce Training Partner Program, which connects manufacturers with education providers while recognizing institutions working to align their programs with industry needs. Ohio manufacturers need skilled people, and Ohio has outstanding institutions preparing them,” OMA President Ryan Augsburger said. “The challenge is making those connections easier and ensuring training reflects the skills employers actually need. This directory helps manufacturers find the right partners while recognizing schools making meaningful commitments to our industry’s workforce.”
The first LCCC program highlighted in the Workforce Training Directory is its Multicraft Industrial Maintenance Technician program. Designed in direct response to regional employer needs, the program integrates studies in electrical, mechanical and automation engineering technologies into one comprehensive program. Students gain hands-on experience installing, repairing, maintaining, and testing a wide variety of industrial systems, while earning stackable credentials that carry into an associate degree.
State funding opportunities are helping to make this and other manufacturing technician career pathways even more accessible. Through the Ohio Work Ready program, up to $6,000 in scholarships are available for students pursuing training in specific high-tech fields, like Multicraft Industrial Maintenance. JobsOhio’s $300 million experiential learning initiative also provides eligible employers with up to $10,000 per employee enrolled in an approved pathway, including an associate degree, technical certificate or apprenticeship.
At the state level, LCCC is proud to have partnered with OMA since 2014 through the College’s facilitation of the Ohio Technical Skills Innovation Network, known as Ohio TechNet, a consortium of 45 colleges, universities and technical centers working together with industry to meet manufacturing and tech workforce needs.
“There are so many opportunities available aimed at strengthening Ohio’s manufacturing industry through a skilled workforce,” Sandu said. “OMA’s new Workforce Training Directory is another tool for employers to leverage and is really showcasing the critical role that Ohio’s higher education partners play in meeting the talent needs of today and tomorrow.”
