MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio — At Polaris Career Center in Middleburg Heights, high school and adult students are getting hands-on training to prepare them for in-demand jobs.
As the trades grow in need and popularity, the school said enrollment was up 37 percent this year and employers are calling frequently, seeking graduates to hire.
Director of Adult Education Karen Rayk said the type of student who comes to Polaris is a career changer. Oftentimes it is someone looking for a better job with better pay.
More than 4,000 adult students attend Polaris each year. Every student must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Daytime and nighttime programs are available. Programs range from cosmetology to dental and medical assisting to welding.
Rayk said there is a growing interest in these fields.
“Half of our programs had a waitlist this fall," she said. "So, we offer 14 occupational training programs. Seven were waitlisted with a total of 86 students on the waitlist.”
It can be hard to know what you want to do for the rest of your life fresh out of high school. That was the case for David Cleary.
“School wasn’t really my thing," said Cleary.
He said after working as a phone salesman, he knew that he wanted to make a career change.
“I wasn’t making fantastic money or anything like that and I knew I needed to go to some type of schooling,” said Cleary.
That’s how he found his way to the HVAC program at Polaris Career Center.
“One of my buddies told me about the program and told me that the teachers here were really good and everything you’re learning is super helpful for the industry," he said. "So, I decided I’d give it a shot."
The 23-year-old can’t wait to graduate from the five-month, 600-hour program in January.
“I enjoy doing hands-on stuff," said Cleary. "There’s just a better job security in this market.”
HVAC is an in-demand profession and an in-demand program. The daytime adult education class is at max capacity with 24 students and 51 students on the waitlist.
Cleary expects to get to work right away.
“Instantly you should be able to if you ask the teachers. I mean they tell us all the time, if you can’t get a job out of here then you’re not trying,” he said.
Cleary enjoys the hands-on training with his fellow students and learning from experienced instructors like Don Horner.
Horner has owned his own HVAC business for 35 years and got his start in the industry at Polaris decades ago.
“That’s the biggest problem in our field today is we can’t find good help. But now, people are finally starting to realize that the trades are a fantastic field and they can have an absolutely excellent life and career,” said Horner.
According to O*Net, on average HVAC workers in the Cleveland-Elyria area earn $53,700 annually.
With Ohio’s hot summers and cold winters, Cleary knows his new skills will always be needed.
“Everyone is always going to need heating and air conditioning, so it's something that I’ll be able to do for the rest of my life until I retire,” he said.