PAULDING – The Paulding County Business Advisory Council (BAC) is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Paulding Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2405. The Paulding Eagles will host future lunch‑and‑learn meetings. The collaboration reflects the county’s ongoing commitment to uniting business, industry, and education in support of local workforce development.
The February meeting featured updates on several upcoming student‑business interaction events across the region. This week, more than 40 Paulding County students toured the Sabre Industries facility in Hicksville, Ohio to learn about their business, welding, and manufacturing career pathways. The event was a joint communication effort between Paulding County Economic Development and Defiance County Economic Development.
Antwerp High School Principal Jessie Arnold shared details about the school’s new Junior High Career Connections event taking place next week. Fourteen area businesses, representing a range of industry clusters, will meet with students to discuss career opportunities, mentoring possibilities, and how early exposure can help guide future high school course planning.
Paulding High School Panther for Careers Coordinator Shawn Brewer provided an update on the after-school welding class led by instructor Staci Miller. The program collaborates with Northwest State Community College (NSCC) and the economic development office to coordinate credentials. The class will take a tour at Mansfield Welding soon, and bring additional industry presenters to the classroom to broaden student to business exposure.
Wayne Trace High School Curriculum Director Tim Manz noted that the STEAM program continues to evolve and looks for additional business partnerships to connect students with real-world problem-solving scenarios.
Paulding County Economic Development Director Tim Copsey announced updates in regard to the county’s summer educator program. Formerly known as Teacher Boot Camp, the initiative will now be called the Career Connection Educator Day Camp. Educators will have the option to register for a single day focused on math, science, social studies, arts/specials, or ELA career connections, or attend the full week to earn CEU credit.
Representatives from NSCC and Rhodes State explained upcoming adult and school-aged student learning events that are coming up at their respective schools.
Looking ahead, the BAC discussed several major events planned for 2026, including:
- County Career Day on April 9 at the Paulding County Fairgrounds
- Business displays at the Paulding County Fair in June
- Build Your Future skills development event that will be held in partnership with Vantage Career Center at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds in September
These initiatives reflect the BAC’s continued commitment to strengthening the county’s talent pipeline and creating meaningful connections between students, educators, and employers.
For more information about the Paulding County BAC or to get involved, please contact the Paulding County Economic Development office.
