COLUMBUS, Ohio — Over the last decade, the number of students attending public school in Ohio has been shrinking.

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio Construction Academy allows high school students to earn their diploma while becoming skilled in a trade 

  • They teach electrical, welding and carpentry 

  • Many students are offered careers after leaving this program 

That’s according to data from the Ohio Education Research Center. The number of students has fallen by more than 100,000 people in just over 10 years. But there’s a program that’s trying to change that narrative and also give students the chance to learn trade skills. 

For more than a decade, the Ohio Construction Academy has been a way for high schoolers to become career certified in the trades and enter the workforce while still earning their high school diploma. 

“This school does a great job of getting our students job ready, career ready, so we have a lot of community partners, construction employers in the Columbus area," said Matt Demoksy, director of High School Operations for Ohio Construction Academy. "We have a job fair every May, where our seniors and juniors attend and some of them get offered employment right on the spot.” 

The students learn trades like welding, carpentry and electrical.

“For electric level one we have residential boards,” Demosky said.  

This is a great way for students who don’t want to go the traditional high school route but still get to earn their high school diploma, while becoming certified in a trade. 

“Our program has been built on hands-on learning, get our kids up and moving, let them roam around freely being productive, learn the importance of communication, teamwork and also learn a valuable trade skill that they can get certified in and not have a job but a career for life,” Demosky said.

Demosky said the majority of students at OCA are from the inner city of Columbus, and this gives them the opportunity to leave high school making over $30 an hour. 

“I think what separates us, besides the career tech aspect, is the positive school culture. This campaign is built on family, love, nurturing and care, and I think a lot of these students fit in here because they get the one-on-one support from the staff, from their peers,” Demosky said.

Senior Paris Bagley is graduating from the construction academy this month. This program has had a significant impact on her and her family. Her two brothers graduated from the school as well. 

“This October, I’ll be going to the United States Air Force, and my job will be structural, which consists of carpentry, electrical and welding, so I’ll have the best of both worlds, and I’m just very grateful that I’ve had this opportunity because of Ohio Construction Academy,” Bagley said.