Congrats to Adult Education’s Industrial Maintenance Grads

Congratulations to the 2023 Adult Education Industrial Maintenance Graduates—Owen Blanton, Dillion Brown, Justin Campbell, Charles Curren, Tammie Dial, Kelly Keller, Joshua Kirk, Moe Min Win, Jarrid Miracle. Not pictured: Ethan Hollenbaugh, Wesley Troutman and John Webber. You are ready to work with almost a year’s worth if training.

The Industrial Maintenance Training Program at Tri-Rivers provides the skills necessary to perform industrial maintenance tasks in today’s manufacturing operations.

This is a complete curriculum. Our professional instructors give you hands-on training in each of our classes—Intro to Robotics, Basic Welding, Advanced Welding, HVAC training, Basic Electricity and Electronics, Introduction to Computers and Hydraulics, Pneumatics, PLC’s, Machine Tools and more. We’ll give you the knowledge and skills to get you prepared for the 21st century.

You’ll do more than read a textbook. You will design, build, test and troubleshoot. You’ll demonstrate your knowledge. Be prepared to learn!

Click Here for program details.

If you live in central Ohio and want hands-on learning—Come to Tri-Rivers!

TRCC’s Treasurer/CFO inducted into MTC’s Alumni Hall of Fame

Above, Tammi Cowell is picture with Dr. Amy Adams of MTC.

Tammi Cowell, Tri-Rivers Treasurer/CFO. 

Mrs. Tammi Cowell, Tri-Rivers Treasurer/CFO was inducted into Marion Technical College’s Alumni Hall of Fame Thursday, November 17, at a ceremony held in the Health Technolgoies Center on the Marion Campus.

Mrs. Cowell oftentimes talks about people today needing more grit.   Mrs. Cowell IS the definition of grit—she displays true grit. Her courage and resolve as she has faced life’s obstacles is truly amazing.

She started her career at TRCC.  She was a very young mom and a high school secretary at Tri-Rivers. She handled both roles—and her many other roles —with a confidence and maturity that belied her youthful age. She moved from that position to the Executive Secretary to the Superintendent. 

As a life-long learner she continued her education, here at MTC, then earning a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. All along she continued to grow in her career. She left Tri-Rivers to become the treasurer/CFO at Northmor and then hired back at Tri-Rivers as Treasurer/CFO. 

At Northmor Mrs. Cowell improved their cash balance from $0 to $6 million in five year. And since returning to Tri-Rivers she has doubled Tri-Rivers’ cash carryover balance in just three years by implementing cost savings measures and managing or initiating several grants.

 

                          MTC Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees, l-r: Tammi Cowell, John “Tom” Gleespen, Sue Jacob and Darl Snyder.

Mrs. Cowell is also active in the Ohio Association of School Business Officials  (also know as OASBO) by serving as a board member and worker bee on many committees. 

Locally she is active in the Junior Service Guild and Marion Women’s Club Home. She’s also board member for the Women’s Business Council and has been active with United Way and the Salvation Army.

In 2019 she received Central Region Distinguished Service Award by OASBO’s Foundation for School Business Management. That same year she was selected as an Emerging Leader for OASBO. Tammi was named as an Outstanding Alumni at Tri-Rivers.

Mrs. Cowell has taken her Associate Degree and continued to build on it…She has continually given back to Marion Technical College by serving for many years as a business advisory committee member. She IS a proud MTC graduate and a wonderful ambassador.

Whatever job Mrs. Cowell has, she takes it to the next level. She not only has grit, she is disciplined, tenacious and a force in her field. She is very deserving of this award. Congratulations, Mrs. Cowell! All of us at TRCC are proud of you!

 

 

Ohio Means Jobs Virtual Job Fair Nov. 2

https://jfs.ohio.gov/owd/JobSeekers/Virtualjobfairs.stm

Click link above for details.

 

Students from Ohio State Marion start classes at TRCC

Eighteen students from The Ohio State University Marion started classes today at Tri-Rivers Adult Education as part of our partnership for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology program. We appreciate our education neighbors and partners.

Tri-Rivers joins Ohio Technical Centers statewide campaign

Tri-Rivers Career Center—Adult Education—joins Ohio Technical Centers’ “Fast Track” Campaign Statewide effort designed to grow awareness of adult programs that close the gap between workplace demands and talent pool competencies.

Ohio’s adult and continuing education programs, operating at 51 locations throughout the state, are now collectively known as the Ohio Technical Centers (OTCs). To build awareness of the new brand and, most importantly, the upskilling opportunities available to adults statewide, Tri-Rivers Career Center is joining the “Fast Track” Campaign effort. The Ohio Technical Centers, with the new slogan, “Your Fast Track to Success,” are the state’s educational providers offering adult learners the training and credentials for the most in-demand jobs and a direct path to employability.

“The Ohio Technical Centers and their programming are catalysts providing immediacy and impact for adults of all ages throughout the state. This is especially critical as Ohio’s economy has more opportunities than ever for a skilled workforce to meet the growing demand all over Ohio,” said Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner.

“It seems like every day I value even more that our state’s 51 Ohio Technical Centers serve as pathways for adults to quality employment. In addition, many programs are free or low-cost options equipping them with the skills they need to enter a career or to further their postsecondary education,” Gardner said.

 

The “Fast Track” Campaign will raise awareness of the various programs available throughout the state, including at Tri-Rivers. These include workforce training programs that award industry credentials, licenses, or certifications and provide a direct pathway to employment. Ohio Technical Centers also offer free services through Ohio’s ASPIRE program, which focuses on individuals who need assistance acquiring the skills to succeed in postsecondary education, training and employment. In addition, Ohio’s Adult Diploma Program, available through the Ohio Technical Centers, provides free job training for adults aged 20 and above to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and industry credentials.

“Our Adult Education programs at Tri-Rivers have been built through active partnerships with local employers to ensure they get what they need from their local workforce,” said Dr. Charles Speelman, superintendent for Tri-Rivers.

“ Through strong partnerships with local business and industry,Tri-Rivers-Adult Education continues to meet the workforce demands of the moment by responding rapidly through customized training programs and other services for adults,” said Dr. Speelman.

All Ohio Technical Centers programs are approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, national accrediting agencies, and specific third-party credentials. In 2021, the Ohio Department of Higher Education reported that 71% of those enrolled in a technical program received a credential, certificate, state license or passed a technical assessment upon completion, and 90% of those completing a technical program found employment.

ABOUT OHIO TECHNICAL CENTERS

Ohio Technical Centers (OTCs), a division of the Ohio Association of Career-Technical Superintendents, are an association of 51 independently operated career technical centers offering educational programs to adults specific to local needs, improving the job skills and professional competencies of Ohio’s workforce.

These Centers close the gap between urgent, in-demand workplace expectations and worker marketability through accredited programs in skilled trades and credentialed careers and ongoing interaction with local employers. In addition, Ohio Technical Centers facilitate and encourage professional development through a range of customizable services for students, employers, and the broader community. The result is a refreshed, competent, and adaptable talent pool eager to apply their education immediately and for the longer term.

Tri-Rivers offers adult students quality full-time and part-time programs, including LPN to RN, PN (LPN Training Program), Patient Care Technician, Paramedicine, EMT, Welding, Industrial Maintenance, Robotics Training (FANUC, Yaskawa Motoman, Universal), Precision Machining, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Hydraulics, the Adult Diploma Program and more. Visit tririvers.com, ramtecohio.com and tririversnursing.com for details. Call 740-389-4682 for health care programs and 740-389-8590 for skilled trades programs.

To learn more about all of the Ohio Technical Centers (OTCs)  visit ohiotechnicalcenters.com

Nikki Hamilton receives Pam Decker Memorial Award

Congratulations to Nikki Hamilton, Adult Education Financial Aid Administrator, for receiving the Pam Decker Memorial Award in recognition of her outstanding and dedicated service to students and the financial aid community. Presented by FACA-Financial Aid Coordinators Association.

Tri-Rivers honors Presidential Post Acute for Distinguished Service

Introduction by Dr. Emeline Kelly

Presidential Post-Acute was chosen as one of the Distinguished Service Award recipients this year. The core component of nursing education and other healthcare programs is the clinical experience. Through this experience under the guidance of licensed and working nursesstudents can take the knowledge they learned and are tested on in the classroom and now apply it in real situations with real patients.

Implementation of our HealthCare Programs requires collaborative partnerships with our clinical sites. Our nursing faculty believe that success in completing nursing education requires the adoption of an effective hands on approach to familiarize the students with new knowledge and essential needs of the patients they will be caring for.

Implication of collaborative Partnership with Presidential

Presidential Post-Acute has been our clinical partner for many years. This distinguished award reflects both past and current service Year after year, they provide us clinical support in preparing our healthcare students in obtaining valuable clinical experiences; allowing our students the opportunities and privilege to care for their residents. These clinical experiences assist students in developing clinical judgement, and critical thinking as well as cultivating their learned skills.

Pictured: Dr. Emeline Kelly, Tri-Rivers; Hillary Suter, Presidential Post Acute;
Dr. Charles Speelman, superintendent; and Linda Dotson, Presidential Post Acute.

The Clinical site

Presidential Post-Acute is a full-service skilled nursing and long-term care facility within the Marion community. They provide a range of services to their residents including physical, occupational, and speech therapies. As well as long-term, palliative, and hospice care.

Presidential Post-Acute is known for its professional and compassionate team of physicians, registered nurses, licensed practical (vocational) nurses as well as state-tested nursing assistants. The Presidential team provides 24-hour care to ensure that all rehabilitation and skilled nursing needs are being met. The residents that reside here can enjoy the finest in senior living paired with the flexibility needed to meet their needs.

Presidential Post-Acute has repeatedly been recognized as one of the best nursing and senior living homes in the region with outstanding results.

The healthcare team is known for being passionate about the residence road to recovery and providing comfort and understanding every step of the way.

The impact of Pandemic

Their commitment and dedication in supporting our students was even more evident during the pandemic Because of COVID 19 all Clinical sites closed their doors and suspended clinical rotation. This resulted in challenges, practical worries, fewer learning opportunities, and even fundamental doubts among faculty and students.

Presidential Post-Acute was one of the first facilities to allow our students to return and participate in clinical education during this trying time. The Nursing administration and staff at Presidential accepted our nursing faculty and students, provided respectful and professional communication about matters such as responsibility for COVID testing, mitigation strategies, the provisions of uniforms and personal protective equipment, and structurally sharing guidelines with nursing faculty and students to provide safe patient care. Through collaborative efforts between the facility’s and education program’s nursing leaders, a safe, and nurturing learning environment was implemented.

 

Tri-Rivers honors CenMac Metalworks for Distinguished Service

Pictured: Matt Comer, vice president for CenMac Metalworks, Presenter and Welding Instructor Levi Retterer,

Superintendent Dr. Charles Speelman, and CenMac employee and TRCC Board Member Mick Landon

 

Introduction by Levi Retterer

Tonight it is my honor and privilege to present a Lautenslager Distinguished Service award to CenMac Metalworks. I was lucky to have been an employee of CenMac Metalworks for several years before I started teaching at Tri-River Career Center full time, and still look back at all of the valuable things that I was able to learn during my time there that has really helped me through my career.

 

CenMac was started in 1960 under the name Central Machine, and it was primarily a metal stamping and tool and die company that supplied several local companies with hinges and latch mechanisms.

 

Jerry Galbreath joined Central Machine in 1994, and his son Rod joined the company in 1998 and took over as president in 2012. At that time, they were in a small 7,000 square foot shop at the intersection of st rt 309 and st rt 98 and had 13 employees including Rod and Jerry. In that time between 1998 and present day, the company has grown and continues to prosper.

 

 When they built their new manufacturing facility in 2003 on Fairground street, I remember Rod reminiscing that he did not know how they were going to fill all 25,000 square feet of new space. Fast forward to today and they have expanded that same shop to 68,000 square feet and are breaking ground on an additional 25,000 square feet. They have gone from having a handful of customers who made up 90% of their sales, to now having their largest customer be only 33% of their sales and no other single customer being more than 6% of total sales, showing how much they have diversified since their inception. 

 

Today the shop employs over 90 individuals and operates on two shifts. This includes around 20 skilled tradesmen and women in the welding department, a majority of which are TRCC graduates. (I often like to joke with Rod that when I was there, the welding department was made up of one other gentleman and myself, and since I left to come here as a teacher, it took 19 people and 9 Robotic welders to replace me. Rod always reminds me that that may not exactly be the case…) 

 

CenMac is a shop that many people in the trades strive to work for. They provide living wage jobs and benefits to their employees and have a culture within the shop that makes it a great place to work. It is never uncommon to see the president and Vice president out on the shop floor running the scrubber or cleaning things up when they need to, and whenever I am lucky enough to be able to stop in and visit the shop to check on students that are on advanced placement, I always look at how the employees react when the boss is walking around the floor. No one acts nervous around the boss and you can tell that there is a mutual level of respect amongst all that work there. I have no doubts that this is a huge reason for their continued growth and success.

 

Throughout the years, CenMac has supported Tri Rivers in a multitude of ways. They have donated practice materials to the welding program which is crucial to our operations. They also employ a number of our alumni from our adult and secondary programs as well as current students who are on advanced placement. I am always able to rest easy knowing that students that we send there to work will be treated fairly, not be taken advantage of and will be in a safe working environment. Numerous members of our advisory boards are employees of CenMac metalworks and they are always willing to give us valuable feedback and insights as to what our program needs to provide to our students to make them successful and employable. We also have a member of our very own board of education who is employed at CenMac, Mickey Landon. 

 

We are proud to be industry partners with CenMac Metalworks and are thankful for all of their support over the years. Rod was unable to join us tonight, But it is my pleasure to present this distinguished award to Vice President Matt Comer and our own Mickey Landon.