Next Application Period Opens on January 3rd

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, announced the results of the October round of TechCred, which will provide the opportunity for Ohioans to earn 2,997 tech-focused credentials.

The next TechCred application period opens Monday, January 3rd and closes Monday, January 31st at 3:00 p.m. Businesses with employees who have completed their TechCred training should submit proof of credential completion to receive reimbursement at TechCred.Ohio.gov.

“TechCred helps businesses of all sizes upskill current and prospective employees with the tech skills they need to compete in today’s economy,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “As Ohio continues to create jobs faster than we can fill them, it is important that TechCred adapts to the needs of employers. We are implementing updates to the program that will streamline the process for businesses, helping more Ohioans learn new skills that can lead to a higher wage.”

The October round of TechCred marked the eleventh round of the program. Lt. Governor Husted announced that 252 Ohio employers were approved for funding, resulting in Ohio employees earning up to 2,997 technology-focused credentials. Businesses of all sizes are utilizing the program, with 93 new employers joining the program for the first time this round.

With the approvals announced, a total of 1,615 Ohio employers have been approved for funding, supporting the earning of 32,269 tech-focused credentials by Ohio employees.

Starting with the January round, the following updates have been implemented to provide additional flexibility for businesses:

• Grant agreements will no longer be separate documents; they will be incorporated into the online application portal.
• Training for approved credentials may start on or after the first day of the month immediately following the last application period. Training programs must still be completed in less than 12 months from the award date.

“The continued success of the TechCred program is a product of the continued need for the program,” said Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner. “Having nearly 100 new employers join for this latest round speaks well for the future of the program, the economy, and Ohio’s workforce.”

You can learn more about the program at TechCred.Ohio.gov.

The 134th Ohio General Assembly remains highly active during the last few weeks of 2021—attempting to finalize priority legislation prior to the new year and the beginning of the second half of the current legislative biennium (2021-22).

Already this year we have seen the Ohio House and Senate pass the state’s $75B+ biennial budget bill (HB 110), in addition to tackling other issues such as those related to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Legislative Redistricting.  And among other bills related to education, the legislature approved (and the Governor signed) SB 1—which requires students entering 9^th grade for the first time next school year to receive ½ unit of instruction in financial literacy as part of an elective or math course.                

Prior to the upcoming holiday recess, we expect the legislature to finalize SB 229—which would extend the ability of Ohio schools to offer blended or remote learning options to students for the 2021-22 school year.  In addition, we expect the legislature to imminently finalize SB 166—a bill Ohio ACTE has advocated which proposes to incentivize work based learning and driver’s education for high school students.  Last, policymakers are also developing legislation that allocates hundreds of millions of dollars in federal relief from the American Rescue Plan Act (recently passed by Congress).  Ohio ACTE leadership will continue to update Ohio ACTE members as these pieces of legislation get finalized in the coming days.  

- by Will Vorys, Attorney,  Dickinson Wright LLC, Ohio ACTE Legislative Counsel

Ohio ACTE with collaboration from the ODE Office of Career Technical Education will offer career-field/topic specific virtual sessions the month of February 2022. 

Is there a career field you are interested in?   If so, please  email  Jill, Assistant Director, at director@OhioACTE.org.  February will be here soon!

Ohio ACTE Past President Jon Quatman is running for National ACTE President Elect.  All ACTE members in good standing will receive a ballot to vote in this year's election.

                Along with the DeWine-Husted Administration, the Ohio General Assembly remains highly active and in part focused on issues related to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Earlier in November, Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Bruce Vanderhoff encouraged parents to get their kids vaccinated following the Federal CDC’s approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11.  Vanderhoff also announced an expansion of the state’s Vax-2-School Program, which will now allow students age 5-25 to apply for up to $100,000 in scholarships to a post-secondary college or technical center (after receiving their vaccine).  These announcements come in the wake of the legislature’s consideration of bills that limit (private and public) employer vaccine mandates and prohibit the discrimination of unvaccinated employees.

                The Ohio House and Senate continue to consider dozens of pieces of legislation that have been introduced this year and are currently attempting to settle a handful of legislative priorities prior to year’s end.  (The 134^th General Assembly will continue through next year and conclude at the end of 2022).  In the education sector, note the following:

Senate Bill 1 (Financial Literacy): Signed by Governor DeWine on October 28, 2021 and effective immediately, SB 1 requires students who enter 9^th grade for the first time after July 1, 2022 to complete ½ unit of financial literacy instruction as part of an elective course or in lieu of one-half unit in math.  The bill also requires instructors to have an educator license validation in financial literacy.  In addition, SB 1 extends the flexibility granted to substitute teachers last year for one more year; for the 2021-2022 school year only, all schools can continue employing a substitute teacher as long as the individual completes a background check, meets the school’s educational requirements, and is deemed to be of good moral character.

Senate Bill 229 (Blended and Remote Learning): Introduced in September and placed on a “fast track,” SB 229 allows all schools to continue using a blended or remote learning plan during the 2021-22 school year.  We expect SB 229 to be delivered to the Governor yet this month, complete with an emergency clause making the bill effective immediately.

SB 166 (Career-Tech): Ohio ACTE has advocated for the legislature to approve SB 166, a piece of legislation we helped develop that is intended to enhance workforce development statewide.  Among other provisions, the bill would create tax and insurance incentives for employers who offer work-based learning opportunities to high school students.  It would also incentivize high school students to complete driver’s education and secure a driver’s license.  Having passed the Senate unanimously, SB 166 is up for an additional hearing this week before the House Economic and Workforce Development Committee and could be approved by both chambers prior to year’s end.

Ohio ACTE will continue to monitor legislative developments  and comment as necessary.

The 2022 Legislative Seminar will take place Feb. 9-10, 2022 in Columbus.  The Planning Committee is working on speakers/presenters, but all information to date can be found by clicking here.

- by Will Vorys, Attorney, Dickinson Wright Law Firm and Ohio ACTE Legislative Counsel

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who serves as Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, announced on November 10 the launch of the application for Ohio’s Individual Microcredential Assistance Program (IMAP). This is the second round of the initiative, which helps those who are low income, partially unemployed, or totally unemployed participate in a training program and receive a technology-focused credential free of cost.

The Lt. Governor made the announcement at Global Lynx, Inc., an IT training provider in Central Ohio that participated in the first round of the IMAP program, in addition to TechCred.

The grant is currently open for training providers, including two-year and four-year colleges and universities, Ohio technical centers, and private businesses or institutions. Training providers who receive awards will be reimbursed up to $3,000 for each completed technology-focused credential issued and up to $250,000 per provider.

“IMAP helps individuals earn new skills that will lead to a career with more job security and higher pay, while at the same time providing Ohio businesses access to the new talent they need to compete,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Today, we launched a second round of IMAP in addition to an updated website, making it easier to navigate the program and connect with a training provider to earn a technology-focused credential at no cost.”

“We want to make it easy for Ohioans to receive the training they need to start on a new career path or advance in their current one,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of

Development. “A highly skilled workforce is essential to growing our economy and keeping Ohio competitive for economic development projects.”

The first round of IMAP awarded 11 training providers for just under $2.22 million in September of 2020.

Previously awarded training providers include:

• Baldwin Wallace University
• Butler Technology and Career Development Schools
• Global Lynx, Inc.
• Goodwill Industries of Central Ohio, Inc.
• Lorain County Community College
• MAX Technical Training, Inc.
• My Career IT LLC
• National Center for Urban Solutions
• Strategic Leadership Solutions LLC
• University of Akron Research Foundation
• University of Cincinnati

The application period for training providers begins today, November 1, 2021, and runs through November 30, 2021 at 3:00 PM.

Individuals and training providers interested in learning more about the program can visit the newly updated IMAP website at: Workforce.Ohio.gov/IMAP.

Participating in a career-technical student organization is a co-curricular experience that enhances classroom learning, technical skill attainment and is a key component of a high-quality educational program. 

Business Professionals of America (BPA), DECA, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), The Ohio FFA Association and SkillsUSA are hosting in-person events and programming for the 2021-2022 school year. Career-Technical Student Organization (CTSO) staff continue to work closely with the Ohio Department of Health, local officials and host sites to prioritize the well-being and safety of all attendees. 

The Ohio Department of Education, Office of Career-Technical Education and listed Career-Technical Student Organizations encourage all Ohioans to engage in the practice of preventative measures, as recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Ohio Department of Health.

Please reach out to the respective Career-Technical Student Organization staff with additional or event specific questions:

“Mask to Stay” and “Test to Play” Options Announced

The Ohio Department of Health, Oct. 25 announced additional quarantine options, “Mask to Stay” and “Mask to Play,” for school districts and local health departments across the state. Out-of-school quarantining has the unintended consequence of reducing in-school learning and can place an added strain on parents, schools, and local health departments.

“While vaccination and masking remain critical components of ensuring a safe school environment, to support in-school learning, we offer an in-school alternative to out-of-school quarantining for students and school staff exposed to COVID-19 in school settings and during school-related activities,” explained Dr. Vanderhoff. “Those exposed outside of school-related activities, such as in the household, should continue to follow standard quarantine guidelines.”

The proposed changes incorporate mask-wearing and testing to reduce the chance of spread of COVID-19 within structured school settings and provide a safe alternative to out-of-school quarantine. The options below only apply to direct contacts in a school environment – those individuals who are identified as being directly exposed to COVID-19 by a positive case in a classroom or other school setting. COVID-19 is spread through sneezing, coughing, talking, and breathing. The best practices for distancing are 3 feet with everyone masked, 6 feet if not masked. Tests can be either PCR or antigen tests, but they must be proctored or observed. The full guidance is available at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/responsible/schools/k-12-schools-quarantine-alternative.pdf.

“The ‘Mask to Stay’ and ‘Test to Play’ options are informed by a growing body of national experience, as well as from a pilot in Warren County, and experience shared by other local health departments pointing toward a low number of direct contacts that convert to cases within school settings,” Dr. Vanderhoff stated.

Mask To Stay

Direct contacts in a school environment, regardless of vaccination or masking status, may remain in the classroom environment if they:

1. Wear a mask for 14 days after their last date of exposure.
2. Self-monitor, or parent-monitor, for symptoms of COVID-19.
3. Isolate and get tested if they start to experience symptoms associated with COVID-19 (regardless of level of severity).
4. Consistent with guidance for others quarantining in lower-risk environments, students and staff may discontinue these quarantine procedures after seven days — if they meet two basic criteria: one – they don’t develop symptoms, and two – they test negative between days 5-7.

While parents and students are responsible for symptom monitoring, if school staff or school nurses see a child exhibiting symptoms they should act accordingly.

Test to Play

Asymptomatic contacts in a school environment may continue to participate in extracurricular activities if they:

1. Wear a mask when able. This includes wearing a mask during transportation, such as traveling on a team bus to and from games; while in locker rooms; while sitting or standing on the sidelines; and any time the mask will not interfere with breathing, the activity in which they are participating, or create a safety hazard.
2. Test on initial notification of exposure to COVID-19.
3. Test again between days 5-7 following exposure to COVID-19. If they are negative at this time, they will test out of quarantine after day 7 and can resume normal activities.

School districts are also encouraged to consider same-day testing for athletic competitions where there is the potential of school-to-school exposure.

Those who are fully vaccinated, as well as those who consistently wear masks in school, can already remain in the classroom i f exposed to COVID-19 in a school setting.

Upper Valley Career Center Electrical Trades Instructor Jeff Bertke was one of three grand prize winners to receive  $100,000 from Freight Tools for Schools. The prize recognizes teaching excellence and the money will be used for the UVCC electrical trades program. 

Miami Valley Today reported on the story, below. A link to the article can be found here.

Photo from Miami Valley Today

Jeffrey Bertke, Electrical Trades instructor at the Upper Valley Career Center (UVCC), won a $100,000 prize recognizing excellence in skilled trades education.

Bertke is one of three Grand Prize winners of the 2021 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, and the funds from the prize will go back into the Electrical Trades program at UVCC.

Danny Corwin, a representative of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, along with UVCC administrators, staff, and local business partners, surprised Bertke with the award.

“This program at Upper Valley is spectacular,” Corwin said. This was the fifth year Harbor Freight Tools for Schools has awarded these prizes, and this was also the third time Bertke has applied for it.

“The application itself is very rigorous,” Corwin said. He read from some of Bertke’s application, which read, “I love the connections I get to make with the next generations of leaders. I love to see the joy on their faces when they solve a problem or can be successful at something that no one else in their family can do.”

“You’re making a difference, and we appreciate it,” UVCC Superintendent Jason Haak said.

Bertke has been an electrical trades teacher at UVCC for 11 years. After graduating from the program in 1999, he earned his journeyman license and entered the industry with passion for the trade and a love for learning.

After six years of industry experience, he was put in charge of teaching apprentices at his place of work—something he truly enjoyed and came in handy when his former high school teacher reached out to him in 2010 to ask if he was interested in teaching.

Despite complications this past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bertke persisted by including electrical simulators, online OSHA and employability skills training, and Cengage electrical curriculum to keep his students on track. He even taught students in-person from the school parking lot at times, maintaining distance and proctoring tests from his car.

Twenty out of his 23 seniors qualified for a pre-apprenticeship through the Ohio Apprenticeship Council, meaning they can get their journeyman credential a year ahead of others around the state. The remaining three seniors qualified for other placement opportunities in electrical supply and maintenance. His program is one of three programs in the school that fill up within the first 24 hours of availability and has a waiting list.

“I come to school every day with a smile on my face because I love what I do,” Bertke said following Thursday’s surprise. Bertke said he sought to highlight what his students were doing, saying, “We do amazing things and let’s keep shining that spotlight on us.”

Bertke’s base curriculum is NCCER Core and Electrical Level 1, which saves his students one year of apprenticeship training. He revisits the curriculum every year with his board of advisory members and makes modifications where necessary to keep the program strong.