Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted hosted a roundtable discussion Thursday in Van Wert with local educators who have enrolled in the Ohio’s Teacher Bootcamp program. The event was held at Trucent Renewable Chemicals.
J Swygart | The Lima News
VAN WERT — Educators from Van Wert on Thursday sang the praises of a state program that allows them to earn free continuing education credits while at the same time allowing them to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse as business and manufacturing operations within their own county.
Teachers from the Van Wert, Lincolnview and Crestview school districts spent a portion of their week touring those businesses as part of the Ohio’s Teacher Bootcamp program that provides reimbursement for tuition costs of coursework taken by teachers to up-skill themselves.
The program’s goal, according to the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, is to incentivize teacher professional development and strengthen the quality of education in sectors like broadband and 5G, cybersecurity, health care, transportation, advanced manufacturing and other trades.
Ten of those teachers took part in a roundtable discussion Thursday hosted by Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and took the opportunity to thank Husted for the opportunities afforded them.
“We’ve been all over town going to places we didn’t know anything about,” said one teacher.
“That’s our goal,” Husted said. “Students don’t know what’s out there in their own county, and the same goes with educators. How are you supposed to know all the opportunities that are out there? But through this program, we want to make you an evangelist by learning what’s available in your own backyard. You’re more likely to retain talent if you get them before they leave the area.”
A teacher from Van Wert schools said the contacts made during local visits have been invaluable. Another educator said the visits to local business and industry and learning of the employment opportunities they offer “have not only been an eye-opener for us but will be for our students and their parents, too.”
Husted asked the educators what they had learned during their boot camp experience that they hadn’t known previously.
“We learned how much companies are willing to invest in good employees,” one teacher said. “They are willing to put their money behind these kids.”
Another educator praised Husted and the state legislature for coming up with funding for the boot camp program.
“We’re thankful for the funding that allows us to be here, but we’re also thankful for the businesses who have taken their time to talk with us,” she said.
Thursday’s roundtable took place at Trucent Renewable Chemicals, a company located in Van Wert’s industrial park that produces oleo chemicals derived from locally sourced vegetable-based feedstocks using advanced fluid separation technologies.
“Our products go into lubricants, cutting oils and other uses,” said Bill Hayes, the company’s vice president.
A tour of the plant took place following the roundtable.
“I want to see more businesses,” one of the educators in attendance said excitedly.
