DAYTON, Ohio — The summer isn’t just a time to relax but could be the perfect time to level up your professional career — which is what Central State University’s Dayton campus is hoping to help with by offering dozens of course to level up your career or small business.
What You Need To Know
- Central State University's Dayton campus is offering free workforce training all summer for Montgomery, Greene and Clark county residents
- There are dozens of courses available ranging from many different topics
- One business owner said she feels more confident in growing her business after learning more about financial analysis in a course
- The courses are for high-demand skills in growing industries
Jackie Coleman knows it takes a lot to grow a small business. As the owner of Meraki Foot Care, she’s doing all she can to help it to grow.
“My total sales was last year compared to this year, and I am growing. So I will say that's a plus," Coleman said.
And learning how to track down those numbers is thanks to a course at Central State University.
“Anytime that you can get new information, especially from people that have, expertise and knowledge, definitely helps no matter what," Coleman said.
Chataun Denis teaches the financial analysis course for small business owners. As a small business owner herself, she loves seeing other Black business owners thrive.
“I said to myself and committed to myself that I would do only work that I love," Denis said. "And I've always wanted to work with Black-owned businesses because we need the help.”
CSU, the only public HBCU in Ohio, is hoping to allow Black workers to thrive. According to the Pew Research Center, only 3% of U.S businesses are Black-owned. And the majority of Black workers in the U.S say being Black makes it harder to succeed where they work.
The course, one of many at the campus this summer, is free for residents of Clark, Greene and Montgomery counties. And the topics range from welding to app development to wastewater treatment. The hope is to equip workers with high-demand skills in the area.
“I hope that they get an opportunity to upscale in their, job skills and also in the workforce in general," said Ashley Browning, the interim project director for CSU's workforce training and business development center. "And being able to use these skills that they learn at Central State and being able to go into the workforce ready, and be able to upscale or get a new job.”
For Coleman, she’s already seen a difference in her business by learning more about the financial aspect of running a business and says she feels empowered to continue to grow.
“It gives me more confidence to go to a lender or a bank and actually speak about my business," Coleman said. "But also speak about the numbers, because numbers are very important.”
Click here for a list of all of the courses offered this summer at Central State University’s Dayton campus and to learn how to register.