Future Jobs prepares high school, post-secondary students
for technology-based careers

Springfield News Sun (Thursday, May 22, 2008)

by Elaine Morris Roberts
Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD — In a shift from traditional workforce development programs
often led by academia and social services providers, Qbase, other area businesses and educational institutions have joined forces to implement an alternative, employer-driven approach to workforce development.

The result is Future Jobs, a program geared toward preparing high school and
post-secondary students for technology-based careers led by Qbase President
Bill Pardue, Wittenberg University President Mark Erickson and Central State University President John Garland.

The program is administered by Wittenberg University with Clark State Community College acting as fiscal agent. It has been funded in part by a $1 million grant from the Ohio Legislature to be administered over two years.

The initial $435,000 investment in Clark and Greene counties will help establish new programs and allow a number of existing programs to expand.

Clark State Community College will launch a new program in photogrammetry, which involves the "creations and manipulation of high-resolution precision maps," Pardue said.

Clark State has teamed with Woolpert, a Dayton-based design, engineering, and geospatial firm, the Air Force Research Laboratory and other defense contractors
to offer students the opportunity to earn either a photogrammetry certificate or a full associate degree.

Total investment to launch the program, which will be available in the Fall quarter
of 2008, is $125,000.

The funds will be used to equip computer labs with the necessary computer software and specialized equipment, said Clark State President Karen Rafinski.

"This program is about building a new technological workforce and makes it possible for us to offer the opportunity for a select group of students to move
forward quickly into good jobs," she added.

Those jobs are presently being filled by individuals from other parts of the country,
a problem Future Jobs hopes to quash.

"These jobs are available now and are going unfilled in our community. Woolpert is filling these positions in Orlando and Denver because they cannot get the qualified workforce here in the Springfield and Dayton areas," Pardue said.

Clark Shawnee Local Schools will receive a total investment of $180,000 over the next year to implement 'Project Lead the Way,' a science, technology and math program with a focus on engineering.

"This is brand new money for the school systems. In these days of constrained finances, this is a brand new source of capital to help students and teachers," Pardue said.

The funding is allowing Clark Shawnee to implement its program far sooner than anticipated, said Superintendent Debbie Finkes.

"This is truly a blessing," she said.

The new curriculum will include four engineering courses and hands-on work with professionals in the business community.

Wittenberg will receive $140,000 for two programs. The university will modify
and expand its existing health care course work focused on data analysis and visualization.

The Upward Bound program, offered to high school students, will be able to expand its student rolls and include more science, technology and math course work.

Central State will receive a total of $100,000, part of which will be used to expand
its sensor technology curriculum. The university's Summer Bridge program, used
to jump start the college careers of incoming freshmen, also will be expanded.

Even though Pardue is excited to be a part of Future Jobs, he is honest about its potential. "This isn't a panacea," he said.

The end goal is to create something positive for this area and become a model for other communities.

"Springfield will lead the way," he said.

E-mail elroberts@coxohio.com. Call 328-0371.