Special Projects

Through the generous support of the GM community investment as well as IMAP funding through the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, incarcerated individuals at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center (NEOCC), located in Youngstown, OH, and the Lake Erie Correctional Institute, located in Conneaut, OH, can now earn in-demand industry credentials through Youngstown State University’s Division of Workforce Education and Innovation. ​

With this partnership, incarcerated individuals will be given the opportunity for reentry with in-demand credentials that truly make them marketable in the workforce.

The 5G Readiness Program is a first-of-its kind training course that equips students with the latest competencies required to design and deploy broadband infrastructure. This training is the first step to a paid apprenticeship and employment in the new 5G workforce.

Scholarships are available through ARC and IMAP funding.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)​ Power grant

Youngstown State University will scale and sustain pathways for careers in the broadband and 5G sector through industry informed training in partnership with a national industry association and local and regional workforce partnerships. The deployment of 5G is expected to create approximately 32,000 jobs in network infrastructure and Ohio will invest $500 million in broadband infrastructure over the next several years. YSU has developed a comprehensive and inclusive plan to increase the broadband and 5G workforce capacity through increased industry awareness and strategic outreach and through industry-recognized credentials, training, and education which allows enablement and adoption of available career pathways in the broadband and 5G industry. ​

IMAP

The Individual Microcredential Assistance Program (IMAP) helps Ohioans who are low income, partially unemployed, or totally unemployed participate in a training program to receive a credential at no cost.

For more information, click here.

The DWEI brings together strategic and operational alignment of YSU’s workforce education offerings, programs, and initiatives through the Excellence Training Center (ETC) at Kohli Hall, The IT Workforce Accelerator at Silvestri Hall, and the YSU Skills Accelerator. The Excellence Training Center (ETC) at Kohli Hall is located in a newly constructed 54,000 square foot facility on the edge of the Youngstown State campus. It houses many of the University's manufacturing assets, making them available to support the Workforce development, Education, Research and Commercial project needs of the region. This program's intended audience is students that are at-risk of not graduating, with both online and in-person pathways available.

Youngstown State University has received a $500,000 grant to increase the participation of students with disabilities in post-secondary education, training, or apprenticeships. This initiative is a collaboration between the Excellence Training Center, the Columbiana County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and the Columbiana County Educational Service Center. The program will offer training opportunities to students with developmental disabilities or specific interests in computer work, data or numerical interests, or kinesthetic abilities. The YSU campus will offer on-site training, and some remote options may be available. The program will be funded by the grant, and additional employment-related services will be provided at no cost to participants. In a separate grant, the Ohio Department of Education has awarded Youngstown State University a $100,000 grant to provide scholarships to students in six school districts in Mahoning and Columbiana counties. The scholarships will be offered to students in East Palestine, Boardman, Struthers, Western Reserve, West Branch, and Jackson Milton school districts to take courses through YSU’s Division of Workforce Education and Innovation. These courses will offer industry-recognized credentials in areas such as advanced manufacturing, robotics, automation, OSHA, and information technology. The courses will be offered online and at the Excellence Training Center on the YSU campus, with ESC counselors working with partner schools to identify at-risk students and connect them to courses.