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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
November 4, 2025




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Governor DeWine Cuts Ribbon on NextGen Training Center in Fairfield County

"New facility supported by $4 million Career Tech Construction Program Grant; NextGen Training Center will allow as many as 200 additional students per year to gain skills and explore career options"

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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined officials from of Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools (EFCTS) -- along with business partners, community members, and students -- for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new NextGen Training Center in Fairfield County.

(CARROLL, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to celebrate the opening of Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools’ new NextGen Training Center.

Located on the campus of Fairfield Career Center, the 34,000-square-foot facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment and the latest career-focused programming, providing more students across central Ohio the knowledge and skills they need to jumpstart a successful career.

“The NextGen Training Center will help hundreds more students discover new interests, practice new skills, and explore opportunities they can take with them for the rest of their lives,” said Governor DeWine. “As we continue to invest in career technical education, we’re helping Ohio students find subjects they’re passionate about and that inspire them to reach their full potential.”

*MEDIA DOWNLOAD: Governor DeWine Soundbite & Event B-Roll* [ [link removed] ]

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Governor DeWine delivered remarks at today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility, which was supported by a $4 million state grant. He was also joined by EFCTS Superintendent Shelley Groves.

Construction of the NextGen Training Center was supported by an award of over $4 million through the state’s Career Tech Construction Grant Program [ [link removed] ].

The center will initially feature a new high school welding program, a powerline program for high school students, and a broadband infrastructure training program for adult learners.

The NextGen Training Center also includes extra space to add more programs and facilitate future growth. At full capacity, the center will allow Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools to accommodate as many as 200 additional career tech students each year. 

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Governor DeWine joined EFCTS leaders for a tour of the new facility following the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Designed with innovation and workforce readiness in mind – and in collaboration between local business and education leaders – the NextGen Training Center is set to become a cornerstone of hands-on learning in fields essential to the future of Ohio.

“We are incredibly grateful to Governor DeWine for his continued investment in career technical education and for helping make the NextGen Training Center a reality,” said Shelley Groves, Superintendent of Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools. “This facility will open new doors for students across central Ohio, preparing them for the high-demand careers that drive our region forward.”

Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools [ [link removed] ] serves 16 school districts and 17 high schools in Franklin, Fairfield, and Pickaway counties. Their students come from an area of over 700 square miles, making Eastland-Fairfield the 7th-largest career and technical district, geographically, in the state.

The opening of the NextGen Training Center comes as the demand for career technical education in Ohio continues to increase. Over the past four years, the state has seen the number of students participating in career tech grow by 10%. That’s 13,000 more career tech students than in 2021.

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At full capacity, the NextGen Training Center will allow as many as 200 additional students per year to gain skills and explore career options.

Today’s ribbon-cutting represents another milestone in Governor DeWine’s ongoing efforts to ensure that all Ohio students have access to high-quality, hands-on education that prepares them for success in today’s workforce.

Earlier this year, the Governor attended ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the new-look Southern Hills Career and Technical Center [ [link removed] ] in Georgetown and the upgraded Engineering and Advanced Technologies Center at Theodore Roosevelt High School [ [link removed] ] in Kent. He and Lt. Governor Jim Tressel also attended a groundbreaking ceremony for an all-new career technical center at Bryan Middle/High School [ [link removed] ] in Williams County.

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Governor DeWine also met with students from EFCTS' Culnary Arts program, located at the Eastland Career Center campus. These students provided refreshments for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

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