In an ongoing effort to educate and engage students in the career opportunities available to them within the community, the Ottawa County (Ohio) Business Advisory Council held its 5th annual Career Showcase event at the CMP Competition Center at Camp Perry on Friday, October 5 in conjunction with National Manufacturing Day. Over 500 9th grade students from school districts throughout Ottawa County participated in the event and were treated to a smorgasbord of future careers with 32 businesses in Ottawa County. Students were challenged to engage in activities with the exhibitors in an effort to help students explore the skill sets necessary to obtain careers in Ottawa County. Businesses presented numerous engagement activities for students – donning/doffing PPE, safety relays, athletic training and physical therapy challenges, pipefitting races, team building exercises, CNC and robotics operations, and chemistry experiments top the list.
Magruder Hospital engaged students with a medical activity where the students learned how to draw medicine out of a vial, and how to properly inject medicine into a dummy patient, as well as the computer requirements involved. “The Career Showcase is one of our favorite events, we look forward to it every year,” said Eve Wilson of Magruder Hospital. “It’s a great way to introduce students to the endless career opportunities right here in Ottawa County. As one of the larger employers in the county, we want to make sure the students know about all types of positions within the hospital, not just ones they are most familiar with from TV. The students are always very engaged and have great questions. I look forward to potentially hiring some of them in the future!”
Ann Longsworth-Orr, Regional Representative of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown’s office, was in attendance and was impressed by the event overall. She took this information back to Senator Sherrod Brown, who had the following to say about the event. “Manufacturing jobs are vital to our state, and often a ticket to the middle class. This industry lifts families up with good wages, good benefits, and opportunities for career advancement. Events like the Ottawa County Career Showcase are not only fun and interactive for students, but also critical to helping them see where STEM careers and the manufacturing industry can take them in the real world. I want to thank the Ottawa County Business Advisory Council for putting this event together. Today’s Ohio factories are innovative, high-tech, and support the good-paying, high-skilled jobs of tomorrow, which is why we need to make sure Ohio manufacturing thrives for generations to come,” said U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
State Representative Arndt also chimed in on the event. “Each year the Ottawa County Career Showcase becomes bigger and better! This year was no exception, the interaction between the students and the employers and attentiveness was amazing. Deciding on a career path, seeing the opportunities that exists and the skills and education needed is invaluable at this point in their life.”
Businesses participating in the event included – 200th RED HORSE Squadron, ACPO, Allen-Clay Joint Fire District, Associated General Contractors, Bay Point Resort, Catawba Island Club, Civilian Marksmanship Program, COACT Associates, Davis Besse Nuclear Power Station/FirstEnergy, GenoaBank, Genoa Retirement Village, Graymont Dolime, Griffing Flying Service, Magruder Hospital, Materion Brush Inc., McDonalds, National Park Service, Northern Manufacturing, OhioMeansJobs Ottawa County, Ohler & Holzhauer, Ottawa County Engineer’s Office, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Ottawa County Sanitary Engineer’s Office, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Port Clinton Auto Repair, Rudolph Libbe Construction, U.S. Gypsum, and Zink Calls.
For more information on the Ottawa County Business Advisory Council, please visit www.ocic.biz or contact Jamie Beier Grant at 419.898.6242 or via email at jbgrant@ocic.biz. Click here for more photos.