“Now its just giving students that financial support so they can either up-skill or get a new skill to help their workforce efforts to find a good career,” Petersen said. “We have funding through June of 2025.”
For example, Petersen said, students who graduate from the emergency medical technician class, a one-semester, seven-credit course, will be ready to immediately take an EMT job. That training also prepares them for Sinclair’s one-year paramedic course.
The courses covered by the Talent Ready grant must be less than 30 credit hours. Students will earn a certificate, which is an industry-recognized credential. These non-degree credential programs have become very popular, and attracted state funding, because they provide a less expensive and quicker way to get people trained for new jobs or to gain additional skills needed by their current employer.
“The investments will support the state of Ohio’s ability to attract new investments and talent, and grow and expand workforce credentials through short-term certificate programs,” according to the state higher ed department’s Talent Ready website.
The Talent Ready grant pays for Sinclair’s tuition, which is currently $141.03 per credit hour for Montgomery County residents and $188.28 per credit hour for Ohio residents from other counties.
Starting in the fall term tuition increases to $146.03 per credit hour for county residents and $193.28 for Ohioans from other counties.
The Talent Ready grant also covers books, fees, and other expenses related to education.
Applicants must be Ohio residents. The Talent Ready Grant is not income-dependent so applicants do not need to complete a Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) but they do have to apply to Sinclair for the grant.
“It’s one of the few (tuition) opportunities not based on financial need,” Petersen said.
The first 20 students awarded the grants at Sinclair began classes on May 13. Among the courses they enrolled in are clinical phlebotomy, real estate, emergency medical technician, chemical dependency counseling, nurse aid and information security systems, she said.
Part of Sinclair’s Talent Ready grant award is designated for the Montgomery County Employment Opportunity Center located in the Westown Shopping Center. Students attending there can take Sinclair’s information technology fundamentals certification program, which gives them an overview of programming techniques and languages, various computer operating systems, application software, and the underlying hardware elements of modern computers.
Sinclair also is using the grant funding to add additional staff to identify, recruit, and guide students toward nearly 50 certificates for in-demand careers across various fields, Petersen said.
Talent attraction and retention is a top priority for the Dayton-Springfield-Butler County region and across the state.
Local business leaders say companies have a hard time finding workers with the correct skills for job openings, an issue likely to be magnified once Intel Corp. completes construction of two semiconductor factories being built near Columbus.
Intel is already drawing construction workers and suppliers from the local region and the company anticipates this region’s residents also will help fill 3,000 new jobs once the plants open.
Sinclair is one of ten local colleges or universities participating in Intel-funded higher education alliances across the state focused on training that new workforce.
For more information about Sinclair’s Talent Ready program, or the courses that are part of the Intel-funded alliance, contact Sinclair’s admissions office at admissions@sinclair.edu or 937-512-3675.
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