High school students and emerging technical professionals in Guernsey County, Ohio are set to benefit from expanded career pathways thanks to substantial new grant funding awarded to the Utica Shale Academy. The regional trade school, based in Salineville, Ohio, has secured state and federal support to extend its educational programs into Belmont, Harrison, and Guernsey counties.
The school was awarded a $336,578 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission through its Prevention, Employability, Equity and Resilience Initiative, alongside $451,212 in state education funds. Superintendent Bill Watson explained that the three-year initiative will replicate the academy's successful Columbiana County model, offering industry-recognized credential training, behavioral health services, career coaching, and evidence-based substance use prevention to support up to 150 students preparing for careers as instrumentation and control electrical technicians.
Watson highlighted that the specialized technical training was specifically recommended by members of the academy's oil and gas advisory board, fulfilling a growing need for workforce readiness in energy and automated industries. Currently serving 164 students across Columbiana, Jefferson, Carroll, Mahoning, and Stark counties with courses in welding, diesel mechanics, and industrial maintenance, the expansion brings comprehensive wraparound support and specialized career training to eastern Ohio communities.
For families and young adults in Guernsey County, this development means exciting new local pathways to high-paying industrial careers and valuable technical certifications right in their home region.
Source: https://www.southern.k12.oh.us/sys/content/newspost/6d878cfd8b5a4d08a986ae03be3f6cba