Expanding Community College Education in the Mahoning Valley
Raising the education attainment of our workforce is a top priority for Ohio! The availability of a comprehensive community college is critical to meeting this goal. Counties in eastern Ohio stretching from Trumbull in the north to Columbiana in the south (commonly referred to as the Mahoning Valley) represent one of the largest areas of the state without access to community college education. In March 2008 an initiative to expand community college education to the eastern Ohio/Mahoning Valley was launched.
In alignment with the University System of Ohio, the system is developed in partnership with existing institutions to break down cost, time and geographic distance in the delivery of programs. Existing physical infrastructures will be utilized, so that no new buildings/campuses are necessary. Programs are being developed to meet the market need, feed existing programs of higher learning, maximize the use of existing teaching and learning resources and include traditional, nontraditional and virtual delivery of programs.
Working groups comprised of educators and employers reviewed market research; career pathways emerged and initial programs offerings were identified. They include: LPN-RN, respiratory therapy, welding, information technology application specialist, fire science, culinary arts, automotive technology and green technologies. The earliest program offering will address the critical need for registered nurses; delivered by partner Lorain County Community College.
The LPN to RN Associates degree nursing program will begin support course work in May 2009. Click here to learn more about this program.