Rep. McNally announces $263,994 to support Youngstown State University
COLUMBUS – State Rep. Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown) today announced the state Controlling Board approval of $263,994 in support for Youngstown State University (YSU) from the Ohio Department of Education’s (ODE) Workforce Based Training and Equipment line item as part of the ODE’s Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills (RAPIDS) program.
“We have a problem with keeping young people in Ohio after they graduate with a four-year degree. I’m glad the state is doing its part to give our students and businesses in Mahoning Valley the resources they need, but let’s be clear that more investment in people is needed,” said Rep. McNally. “We need to create more economic options for employment, goods, and services, as well as a supportive cultural environment, if we want these investments to pay off down the road.”
The ODE Workforce Based Training and Equipment line item is meant for the education and skill training of students and/or incumbent workers in meeting the current and future talent needs of growing, emerging and high demand industries through investment in capital equipment and facilities, while the goals of the RAPIDS program are to retain and expand existing businesses, attract new enterprises and further entrepreneurship.. The proposed equipment purchase by YSU will directly impact the capacity and capability of the institution in serving students and regional businesses. It will be used for manufacturing education, training and up-skilling current and future workers of Ohio and developing a talent pipeline that addresses the skill and workforce needs of Ohio’s growing and high-demand businesses and industries.
“I believe in the people of this region and their ability to work hard,” said Rep. McNally. “I’ll be excited to learn more from the folks on the ground when these programs roll out.”
The Ohio Controlling Board Request states that YSU along with a group of regional stakeholders have been working together to propose a truly innovative strategy for manufacturing education. This strategy involves the breaking down of institutional barriers to collaboration, the development of a coordinated strategy for this in-demand education, and the sharing of resources, including equipment, to maximize impacts while minimizing costs. This proposed request under the RAPIDS program will support that effort and illustrates the potential value of this unique strategy in terms of both workforce outcomes and responsible use of public resources.