“Co-op really is the cornerstone of what we do at Cincinnati State,” said Andrea Feld, co-op coordinator for Cincinnati State’s Center for Innovative Technologies . “From day one, co-op was built into the curriculum and really an essential part of the learning and certainly of the degree. Students coming out of the program ... have actual, real live work experience to list on their resume as a graduate.”
A co-op is a way to try out an employee in a low-risk manner, Feld said. Co-ops are paid positions where businesses are the instructors and the workplace is the classroom.
“If things don’t work out, then you’re not in the position where it’s going to cost you to do this all over again,” she said. “When it does work out, everybody benefits.”
Joe Roberts, Cincinnati State’s business technologies co-op coordinator, said the co-op program allows businesses to find students who are technically trained and full of energy. “We have a whole population of students of different ... needs and wants,” he said. “You get a chance to look at all of them and you may find that diamond in the rough.”
The college also will use its Workforce Development Center to develop a customized workforce training program for a company’s employees, including industry-accepted certificates to increase sales and productivity.
The center will identify course and program offerings to keep managers and employees current and competitive.
“We’re thrilled to come up to Middletown,” said Dennis Ulrich, the center’s executive director. “I think everyone agrees that this is a great economic engine to bring Cincinnati State up and be the spark plug to fire up the area again and bring students and businesses and organizations to Middletown.”
Andy Veldhuis, a recruiter for E Technologies Group, said Cincinnati State Middletown’s offerings are “great for Butler County.”
“I think it’s really important that we develop a work force,” he said. “This gives kids coming out of high school an opportunity to develop some real skills.”
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