Worker education goes on the road

By Wendy Weichenthal

A new mobile lab brings training to the worker.

Since opening its doors 47 years ago, nearly 50,000 local residents have come to Ohio’s Marion Technical College (MTC) to learn new skills, earn new certifications and degrees, and open up new career and educational opportunities.

Now, high-tech training is coming right to companies’ doors with MTC’s new Mobile Training Lab. As the demand for a skilled workforce grows, MTC can bring instructors and training right to employees and tailor the class to the skills they need to succeed and advance.

The new $500,000 mobile training lab is completely grant-funding, including start-up operating costs for the first year. Major support came from the Ohio Department of Education, JobsOhio, Honda, Union County – Marysville Economic Development Partnership, RobotWorx, Columbus 2020, Cardington Yutaka and other manufacturers.

“Marion Technical College continues following its tradition of providing high quality instruction to local workers,” said Matt Farson, MTC’s director of engineering technology. “MTC will provide training for workers right on the job site. As the needs of employers change, we can make sure local workers can meet those needs.”

The new mobile lab includes a production-quality CNC mill for creating quality, complex, precision parts and prototypes; a small robot from RobotWorx; 10 student computer stations, an instructor station and projection, and more.  MTC will partner with local employers to help workers learn the skills they need to advance in their careers.

“RobotWorx is proud to support local programs like MTC and JobsOhio. We are delighted to be a part of a town like Marion that has exhibited such a strong passion in assisting the Workforce Development for today’s skilled technical jobs,” stated Jacqueline Dickson, human resources and administrative assistant with RobotWorx in Marion.

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Wendy Weichenthal

is a public relations specialist at Marion Technical College in Marion, Ohio.