COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hundreds of educators in Ohio will have the opportunity to connect with their local businesses to learn the skills their students will need to enter the workforce, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

What You Need To Know

  • Hundreds of educators in Ohio will have the opportunity to connect with their local business to learn the skills their students will need to enter the workforce through the Ohio Teacher Bootcamp program

  • It will allow eight institutions of higher education to provide this on-the-ground experience to educators, up to 655 of them

  • The educators will tour businesses and complete coursework to better understand needed skills in various industries

The Ohio Teacher Bootcamp program will allow eight institutions of higher education to provide this on-the-ground experience to educators, up to 655 of them.

“I am pleased these colleges and universities are taking the lead and implementing these bootcamps to provide teachers real-world experiences they can take back to the classroom to help better prepare students for life after graduation,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in the release. “With an emphasis on in-demand jobs, teachers will help spark interest in career paths that will help our communities thrive.”

The educators will tour businesses and complete coursework, according to the release, to better understand needed skills in various industries. The hope is these lessons can then be passed on to their students.

“We’ve seen great success from communities doing this independently, and today’s awards will help us grow the program to serve more students, schools, and communities,” Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said in the release. “This is a win for everyone involved because we are showing teachers what a career looks like in their community so they can bring that knowledge back to the classroom and incorporate it into their lessons, teaching their students what skills are in-demand to help create the future talent pipeline for businesses near them.”

The approved institutions to offer this program, according to the release, are:

  • Ashland University
  • Lake Erie College
  • Malone University
  • Miami University
  • Sinclair Community College
  • University of Cincinnati
  • University of Findlay
  • Youngstown State University

“Ohio educators understand the strengths and unique learning needs of each of their students,” said Stephen Dackin, director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, in the release. “Now, through Ohio’s Teacher Bootcamp Program, our educators will have this same understanding about the skillsets being sought after in their communities to better prepare students for success in the classroom and their future careers.”

The release states that the goal of this program is to strengthen education in various industries “including Broadband & 5G, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Transportation, Advanced Manufacturing, or other Trades.”

“I commend these institutions for taking this extra step to ensure that educators are prepared not only to teach, but also to better prepare their students for success and service in their own community,” said Mike Duffey, Ohio Department of Higher Education chancellor, in the release.

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