Lt. Governor Tressel Hosts Career and Technical Education Roundtable at Medina County Career Center
 Lt. Governor Jim Tressel brought together Career and Technical Education leaders from across Ohio for a roundtable discussion on efforts to expand CTE opportunities for students.
(MEDINA, Ohio)—Today, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel brought together Career and Technical Education (CTE) leaders from across Ohio for a roundtable discussion on efforts to expand CTE opportunities for students.
Hosted at Medina County Career Center (MCCC), the event included CTE superintendents, administrators, and educators from all regions of Ohio who shared insights into this growing educational pathway.
“As a former educator, I know how important it is to give students choices – to make sure that every child has the opportunity to find something that they are passionate about doing,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “More often now, we’re seeing kids finding their spark in career and technical education. While this is exciting, and can lead to successful and fulfilling careers, we need to make sure we are stepping up as a state to ensure that every child who is interested in pursuing CTE has the ability to do so.”
 Lt. Governor Jim Tressel brought together Career and Technical Education leaders from across Ohio for a roundtable discussion on efforts to expand CTE opportunities for students.
The demand for CTE in Ohio continues to increase. Over the past four years, the state has seen a 10% growth in the number of students participating in career tech – that’s over 13,000 more students than in 2021.
“More students are becoming interested in exploring career tech pathways at the same time that we’re seeing an exciting increase in companies and job opportunities moving into Ohio,” added Lt. Governor Tressel. “We can’t afford to have kids on waiting lists. We need to make sure the door is open to everyone.”
 Lt. Governor Jim Tressel brought together Career and Technical Education leaders from across Ohio for a roundtable discussion on efforts to expand CTE opportunities for students.
Under the leadership of Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Tressel, Ohio is investing to help schools expand and modernize their CTE offerings, so more students have access to high-quality, hands-on education to prepare them for success in today’s workforce.
Between Ohio’s Career Tech Equipment Grant and Career Tech Construction Grant, the state has awarded $300 million in funding to help 116 schools establish or expand their CTE programs by building new or enhanced facilities and purchasing state-of-the-art equipment.
These two programs alone have allowed an additional 20,000 students across the state to participate in CTE courses.
“We’re encouraged by the growing connections between state leadership and our career tech institutions on the ground,” said Dee Smith, Executive Director of the Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education (Ohio ACTE). “Lt. Governor Tressel’s visit to Medina County Career Center is one of many that reflect a deeper understanding of how Ohio’s career technical centers are the engine driving workforce readiness. I believe his strategic approach – particularly through the Workforce Playbook – aligns well with where career tech education is headed in Ohio.”
 Lt. Governor Tressel was joined by Dee Smith, Executive Director of the Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education (Ohio ACTE).
“As a superintendent, it’s encouraging to witness similar aspirations between Medina County Career Center and our policymakers to enhance the stability of Ohioans’ jobs and the economy,” said Brian Bontempo, Superintendent of Auburn Career Center and Board President of Ohio ACTE. “Career tech is common ground for the proactive initiatives outlined in Ohio’s education agenda.”
Following the roundtable discussion, Lt. Governor Tressel joined Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin, MCCC Superintendent Steve Chrisman, and others for a tour of the career center.
During the tour, the Lt. Governor saw training facilities for MCCC’s Chef & Restaurant Management program, Construction Trades program, HVAC program, and their Visual Media Imaging Academy.
 During the tour, the Lt. Governor saw training facilities for MCCC’s Chef & Restaurant Management program, Construction Trades program, HVAC program, and their Visual Media Imaging Academy.
“We were honored to welcome Lt. Governor Tressel to the Medina County Career Center. His visit underscores the importance of hands-on, career-focused education and the transformative impact it has on students, families, and our local community,” Chrisman said. “On behalf of the MCCC, I extend sincere gratitude to Lt. Governor Tressel and to the Governor’s Office for their consistent and unwavering support of career technical education. Their leadership continues to elevate the value of workforce readiness and ensures our students are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market."
Beyond the general need for growth in CTE, the visit provided an opportunity for education leaders to discuss the trends they are seeing with increasing demand for certain careers in various regions across the state.
Under the leadership of Governor Mike DeWine, the state has attracted a variety of economic development projects in recent years, which are bringing tens of thousands of new jobs to Ohio. To ensure the state’s workforce is trained and ready to fill these jobs, Governor DeWine recently announced that Lt. Governor Tressel would lead the administration’s effort to create Ohio's Workforce Playbook.
By examining the needs and circumstances of Ohio’s various regions, Ohio’s Workforce Playbook will develop a plan to retain existing talent, recruit new talent to Ohio, and rally Ohio’s existing workforce to greater productivity.
Lt. Governor Tressel’s visit to MCCC marked his latest community workforce discussion across the state. Previous events have been held at:
Similar community discussions will continue to take place to help inform the development of Ohio’s Workforce Playbook.
 Lt. Governor Jim Tressel brought together Career and Technical Education leaders from across Ohio for a roundtable discussion on efforts to expand CTE opportunities for students.
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