Paulding County Economic Development Press Release May 15, 2025
PAULDING –The Paulding County Economic Development Office hosted a Business Advisory Council (BAC) Steering Committee Meeting this month. The state mandated committee consists of bringing together a diverse group of local leaders, educators, and business professionals to collaborate on initiatives connecting educators and county students with local businesses and career opportunities.
The committee reflected on the recent Business and Industry Expo event. Participants shared success stories and brainstormed ways to make next year’s event even more impactful for students and employers.
The discussion took some great discussion twists and turns as participants collaborated on new thoughts and shared potential ideas for new ways to connect educators with business leaders and encouraged a deeper commitment to workforce development and community growth.
Recognizing the importance of early career engagement, attendees expressed new strategy thoughts to involve younger students and foster more hands-on learning experiences. A key discussion emphasized that introducing students to career opportunities at an earlier age can broaden their mindset, helping students realize the many diverse career paths available within the county.
Discussions then turned to the implementation and scheduling for the upcoming Teacher Bootcamp, a dynamic program designed to help educators earn their CEU hours while gaining firsthand knowledge about Paulding County businesses and local industries through guided business tours. Spots are still available for anyone in the northwest Ohio region hoping for CEU credit through Ashland University.
Another point of focus was the planning of the STNA Summer Program. Conversations centered on overcoming challenges in securing a certified instructor for the STNA training. Angie Fahy, Adult Education Director at Vantage Career Center, shared thoughts on available funding opportunities that could help cover the costs of STNA classes for students. A key component in this would be finding as much scholarship money as possible to overcome any financial barriers. All information discussed will be explored further to identify the best option to help launch the STNA Summer Program this summer.
The full BAC meeting will be held on June 5 at 1:00 PM at the Mercer Landmark conference room located at 14170 State Route 613 in Paulding, Ohio. For more information, please contact Jessica Stechschulte at 419-399-8295 or Office@pced.net.
