PCBW Sarah Shuherk – Paulding County Recorder Elect

PCBW Sarah Shuherk – Paulding County Recorder Elect

Listen to our next Paulding County Business Weekly episode as we meet our new Paulding County Recorder Elect, Sarah Shuherk. Sarah shares what takes place in the Recorder’s office and how it is an important piece of the county’s history and future. We can’t thank OhioMeansJobs enough for sponsoring this program and the team at My102.7FM for making it happen. You can tune in on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or Click Here to Listen Online! Paulding County Business Weekly is also available in podcast form through Apple, Google & Spotify. #pauldingcountystrong

PCBW: Brian Shuherk – Solid Ground

PCBW: Brian Shuherk – Solid Ground

Listen this week to the Paulding County Business Weekly podcast, where we hear from Solid Ground owner Brian Shuherk, who shares about the Solid Ground business and all the exciting benefits that they can provide.  Irrigation, landscaping, landscape drawings, and snow removal just to name a few.  Brian shares how this business started in the trunk of a car and has developed into a regional service business. Thank you to program sponsor, OhioMeansJobs. You can tune in on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or Click Here to Listen Online! Paulding County Business Weekly is also available in podcast form through Apple, Google & Spotify. #pauldingcountystrong

PCBW: Eric Davis – Wessler Engineering

PCBW: Eric Davis – Wessler Engineering

This week we sit down with Eric Davis, Business Development Representative with Wessler Engineering and discuss all things water.  Drinking water, surface water, sewer water, and all things related to this.  We hear how the workforce that helps operate and maintain these services in aging and how we need to develop a new pipeline of talent to backfill these roles.

Thank you to OhioMeansJobs for sponsoring this program.

Tune in to Paulding County Business Weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or Click Here to Listen Online! This episode is also available wherever you get your podcasts. #pauldingcountystrong

Paulding County BAC Receives Helpful Data

Paulding County Economic Development Press Release                             September 11, 2024

PAULDING– The two-star awarded Paulding County Business Advisory Council (BAC) Committee participated in their third quarter meeting this week.  The meeting was moved to the Junior Leadership Building on the county fairground campus as remediation continues at the OSU Extension building.

Nineteen business leaders and educators introduced themselves and met to discuss the continued growth of the council and how it can benefit school, student, and business relationships in the future.

The highlight of the meeting was the introduction of data from the county-wide YouScience results.  Over the past two years county students, at all three county schools, have participated in the YouScience aptitude assessment modules.  YouScience modules are developed to help students understand what employment sector they most commonly align with, versus what they think they want to do after school.  The contrast is eye-opening for many students and their teachers.  The data was shared for 16 different business sectors including education, manufacturing, agriculture finance, and more.  YouScience is funded through Vantage Career Center for all of their 13 participating schools.

“We were continually told by educational services groups that are ahead of us in these assessments, that the number one interest by students will be in education.  Every student is familiar and aware of teachers and most think that is what they want to be.  When the data came out it was spot on.  319 of the 711 students who completed the modules noted their interest in education.  Only 99 students actually had an aptitude for education.  There was more than a 3-1 ratio of students who do not have an aptitude for teaching “think” they should be in education.  It proves that students relate to what they are exposed to.  We have to make a concerted effort with our Paulding County students to introduce and expose them to other business sectors before they make college major choices or choose a business industry path that may not suit them at all,” explained Paulding County Economic Director Tim Copsey.  “Introducing students to a variety of employment sectors available right out of high school, or after college, will help guide to them choices that benefit them down the road earlier and with less expense.  That is our goal.”

The county schools all shared updates of innovative opportunities they are providing in their respective schools.  Vantage Career Center also shared exciting new and updated information about school student and adult programming.  It was also reported that during the 2023-24 school year a whopping 1853 credentials were issued.  That was up 34% from the previous year.  It was also shared that career center enrollment was up another 56 students this school year.

The important item of the meeting was that the new state required 2024-25 school year BAC template is due to Columbus before September 30.  Schools and businesses are asked to submit any business-student activities that promote collaboration.  All of the collective results will be submitted for review and graded in the two-to-four-star categories at the state level.  Paulding County went from no rating in 2022-23 to a two-star rating last year.  The hope is to maintain the two-star or improve again this school year.

The group will convene for their fourth quarter meeting December 11.

Build your Future

Build your Future

Paulding County Economic Development Press Release                                    Sept. 3, 2024

Paulding – The Van Wert County Economic Development office will be hosting a “Build your Future” event on September 18th, 2024 at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds. All Paulding County schools are invited to attend this year’s event.  This event will be divided into two sessions – a morning session + afternoon session.

Here’s a recap of the event.

Vantage students in Carpentry, Construction, Electricity, Industrial Mechanics, & Welding, along with local business partners & sponsors, provide local freshman & sophomores hands on activities related to the Industrial field. The students work their way through multiple booths featuring different activities where they can weld, frame a wall, use a skid loader, etc.

The event will bring freshman & sophomore students from all three Paulding County high schools to learn about, meet and discuss future opportunities with area businesses.

“This event is an opportunity for students to become familiarized with local business and what they do, gain awareness of various careers, get leads on summer employment and much more. We understand that each student is in a different place with job and future education decisions. Our hope with this event is to meet students where they are in that decision process and help provide them with numerous options to consider for their future.” stated Economic Development, Administer Assistant, Jessica Stechschulte.

 

The event will run 1st session; 9 am – 11 am. 2nd session; 12 pm- 2 pm. Each school will then bus their students to the event on the hour for forty-five minutes.

Students will be provided with all safety PPE materials needed upon arrival.

PCBW: Greg Johnson & Jeff Starner – Herbert E. Orr Company

PCBW: Greg Johnson & Jeff Starner – Herbert E. Orr Company

This week on Paulding County Business Weekly we have Greg Johnson, President & CEO, and Jeff Starner, CFO of the Herbert E. Orr company.  Listen in to hear how the business began, where it’s been, and where it’s headed as it continues to be a viable employment option in Paulding County that continues to support #pauldingcountystrong efforts.

Thanks to OhioMeansJobs, you can tune in on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or Click Here to Listen Online! Paulding County Business Weekly is also available on many podcast platforms including Apple, Google & Spotify. #pauldingcountystrong