TechCred Round 2 Funding
January 2020
Spotlight on State
Training Funds for Employers
Ohio Offers Second Round of TechCred Applications to Help
Employees Earn Technology Skills
The SWORWIB is proud to report that for Round 1 of the Ohio TechCred program for employers to support and expand the skills of their current workers with additional technical credentials, Local Area #13/SWORWIB-Cincinnati & Hamilton County can boast the largest number of employers with 23 employers being funded for a total of 156 credentials. Information below reviews the details for Round 2 of the TechCred opportunity in Ohio and the deadline of January 31, 2020 for Round Two applications. 
 
Board Member Jackie Alf of John R. Jurgensen Co. and Valley Asphalt was approved for 22 credentials. Alf expressed, “our companies are very excited that Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted recognized the critical importance of technology in the construction, aggregates/mining and manufacturing industries in Ohio and the need to support both improved training as well as updating current workers for the ever growing technical competencies in these critical craft-skills industry sectors” . Melanie Rippstein, Director of Organizational Development for Jurgensen, took the leadership for the Ohio TechCred application process and ”is grateful for Ohio’s support to upskilling the workforce through technical credentials" . Both leaders appreciate the State of Ohio efforts for technical growth development with Ohio’s current employers and welcomes the opportunity to apply for training support and the fact that their companies were approved.
 
Alf has been a leader in workforce development and advances local area initiatives to promote experiences for high school students to learn about these industry opportunities. Moreover she has been a partner with educational leaders and industry associations, (Ohio Aggregates and Industrial Minerals Assn., Ohio Contractors Association, Ohio Concrete, and Flexible Pavements) in the development of a new credential known as MACC Tech for “Mining, Asphalt, Concrete & Construction Technology”.
As well as being a contributing leader in the development of
a movement to generate pride and respect for construction and manufacturing, and to recruit people into rewarding and careers. 
T he Ohio Department of Education approved the MACC Tech Industry Credential in June of 2019. The MACC Tech industry credential serves to prepare junior and senior high school students for a career in the construction industry. High School graduates with the MACC Tech Credential will be prepared for immediate employment in all of these associated career paths as well as ready for College programs such as University of Cincinnati’s Construction Management program. The industry is also working with the Career Technical Schools in Ohio to be able to offer this credential to adults and is hopeful that the credential will be considered eligible for future TechCred financial support. Moreover, based on employer interests, the SWORWIB will advance some other credentials for consideration under TechCred, such as Project Management Professional Certification, Lean Six Sigma Certification and training for the OSHA 30 and 40 cards recognizing completion of critical, and ever changing, safety training impacted by new technologies.
Lt. Governor Jon Husted has launched " TechCred", a program that connects businesses with the talent they need and gives employees the ability to earn industry-recognized, technology-focused credentials, better preparing them for their current and furture job in today’s advanced, technology-infused economy.

These are some key details that employers should know:

  • Businesses will identify the specific, technology-centric qualifications they need, as well as the employee(s) they want to upskill.

  • To qualify for reimbursement of training costs, the employer must partner with a training provider and apply online. Individuals listed in an employer’s application must be Ohio residents with a verifiable Ohio address.

  • The state will reimburse up to $2,000 of training costs per credential upon completion. There is a limit of one reimbursement available per employee in each funding round.

  • Employers are eligible to receive up to $30,000 per funding round, and businesses of all sizes are eligible, according to the program guidelines.

  • The application period begins January 2, 2020, and ends January 31, 2020.

For questions regarding TechCred, use  this email  [email protected].
Donations Appreciated
The SWORWIB is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Would you or your organization like to support the continued success of the workforce board? To make a donation (tax deductible) to the SWORWIB in support of Cincinnati-Hamilton County workforce initiatives, email Sherry Kelley Marshall at [email protected].   
Contact: Sherry Kelley Marshall
President & CEO