By Patricia Beech-

Workforce development is a growing need in many rural communities, and Adams County is no exception.
According to Holly Johnson, Director of the Adams County Economic Development Office, it is a key ingredient in county leaders’ efforts to attract industry to the area.
Johnson and the Board of Commissioners say they’re committed to creating a local job training center capable of preparing county residents to enter the workforce.
On Thursday, Feb. 7, local government leaders met with an advisory panel to discuss how to proceed with the project. The panel consisted of business owners, community representatives, judicial and law enforcement officials, and representatives from Congressman Brad Wenstrup’s office and Lt. Governor Jon Husted’s office.
This isn’t the first attempt to bring a workforce training facility to the county, but it might be the best chance proponents have had to make their plan a reality.
According to Adams County Common Pleas Judge Brett Spencer, the process has been ongoing for more than a decade.
Spencer said failed attempts to partner with institutions like Southern State Community College convinced county leaders to seek their own independent path.
“We’ve been at the starting line three or four times,” says Spencer. “But, this time our Commissioners are very supportive of the idea that we can create our own destiny in Adams County.”
Judge Spencer says the workforce training center’s 10-person advisory board is essential to the project’s success.
“This board is made up of men and women who have been successful in business and who have the knowledge necessary to show others how to succeed,” he says. “They have their fingers on the pulse of industry, they understand what industry needs, and that our approach to training must be fluid enough to transition from one type of training to another to respond expeditiously to demand.”
Spencer points to the Vern Riffe Center in Scioto County as a model for the Training Center which is scheduled to open in early Sept. 2019
“Workforce training is something the Verne Riffe Center has taken to another level because they had the ability and the spirit to make it happen,” he says. “We now have Commissioners who see it as a great opportunity and are willing to help get it started.”
While they do whole-heartedly support the job training center, the Board of Commissioners were clear that the project cannot be a burden on the county. It has to be self-sufficient and self-supporting.
“They’ve made that abundantly clear, and I think that’s abundantly fair,” says Judge Spencer. “We intend to start small, stay within in our means, and develop trust with the employers by giving them the product they want and need.”
Johnson said the project will be funded by through an agreement reached between DP&L and the Public Utilities Commissioner of Ohio.
“No money will come from the county general fund,” she said. “Like any business, the training center will have to sustain itself and stand on its own.”
According to Commissioner Diane Ward, the project will be a boost to the local economy which took a hard hit when DP&L’s parent company closed the county’s two coal-fired power plants.
“This training is exclusive to the needs of employers in Adams County and will also assist with providing a specialized workforce for new businesses that are considering locating in Adams County,” she said. “ Local practitioners will be be offering training with curriculum that are industry aligned, to provide a skilled workforce that meets the needs of our local employers.”
Ward also said a high school diploma program and financial assistance will be available to those using the workforce center.
County residents can expect to receive training in a number of fields including: utility linework, underwater welding, masonry, carpentry, welding, dental hygienist, and nursing.
Commissioner Ty Pell says he believes the workforce training project has the potential to lift many Adams County residents out of poverty.
“Being certified in a field gives someone an opportunity to start a new career with a chance to make a great living,” he says. “We are extremely excited to give our citizens a new opportunity to be trained by the businesses that will be doing the hiring.”
Judge Spencer says there is even reason to hope workforce training could potentially impact the current drug crisis in Adams County.
He told the Defender that 92 percent of the people he deals with in adult criminal court do not have a high school diploma and only 6/1000 of a percent have a certified vocational degree.
“People who abuse drugs face tough issues, they come from difficult family backgrounds, and they face difficult situations daily,” he says. “Drug use frequently masks a lack of hope, and my mind set has always been that the most effective way to change someone’s thought processes is for them to be gainfully employed, productive, proud, and independent, with a paycheck in their pockets. I think through this process we can develop hope for these people.”
Commissioner Barbara Moore agrees that putting at risk people to work is a prerequisite to helping them make better choices.
“It could eventually lead to a decrease in our crime rate,” she says. “However, the biggest impact we hope to see is that creating a skilled labor force will bring additional employers to the county.”
At present, supporters of the workforce training center are looking at a property to lease on State Rte. 41, just south of downtown West Union.
The Board of Commissioners have requested the lease to include an option to purchase.
Judge Spencer praised the Commissioners’ decision.
“If this is going to work it’s very important to have the option to purchase so we don’t lose the building after we’ve already developed it,” he says. “We’re further along in this process than we’ve ever been before. This time we have commitments from people who refuse to be stopped, and the beauty of it is no one wants credit for it – it’s really about how we can control our own destiny in Adams County.”

On Thursday, Feb. 7, local government leaders met with an advisory panel to discuss how to proceed with the project pf a new Workforce Training Center coming to Adams County. (Provided photo)