Northwest State Community College, OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County, City Mission, and Fostoria Learning Center Partner for a Pathway out of Poverty

Jim Bellamy
Northwest State Community College

Archbold, Ohio – Northwest State Community College is excited to announce a collaboration with OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County and the City Mission to offer an Introduction to Welding program at the Fostoria Learning Center. This program will provide seven individuals from the City Mission the opportunity to earn valuable welding skills and an OSHA 10-hour certification. This program is designed to provide a pathway for skill attainment, employment with a livable wage, and ultimately a pathway out of homelessness and poverty.

Sometimes, one simple class can be all that it takes, like a guiding light in rough seas. For those at the City Mission, this opportunity could be that lighthouse in the distance, guiding them to a life of stability. The City Mission has been in existence for over 86 years in Findlay, Ohio. As the only emergency shelter in Hancock County, their facility provided 23,875 nights of lodging, 88,409 meals, and helped 501 families in 2020 according to their website. Timothy McDowell, Operations Program Manager at the City Mission believes this program can be the first step out of poverty. “The City Mission is excited for the opportunity to partner with Northwest State Community College, OhioMeansJobs, and the Fostoria Learning Center, to provide our guests with training and skills that will open doors to a new career and a livable wage. This course provides more than the opportunity to learn a trade, it is the first step to a new beginning, to rebuilding families, and to halting generational poverty.”

This is Northwest State Community College’s first collaboration with OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County. With the growing workforce needs in Hancock County, Workforce Supervisor, BriAnna Ybarra, believes this can not only assist individuals in poverty, but can also serve as way for local companies to fill vacant positions. “OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County is excited to assist this group of motivated individuals obtain training that can lead to careers in an in-demand job field. In addition, we are certain that once this training has been completed, we will be able to help these same individuals secure employment, helping the unemployment rate in Hancock County. We believe this is the start of a great partnership.”

The Fostoria Learning Center and Northwest State Community College continue to offer workforce solutions to the local market. Serving all types of learners, the Fostoria Learning Center continues to provide an open door to a wonderful facility, while NSCC carries out the training within this home for workforce solutions. “This is a great opportunity for these learners to become proficient in welding safety, welding symbols, blueprint reading, and applied techniques,” stated Jim Drewes, VP of Workforce Development at Northwest State Community College. Drewes went on to say, “This partnership with the Fostoria Learning Center, OhioMeansJobs, and the City Mission has been wonderful. In anything we do, our ultimate goal is employment. All of these partners are focused on the learner, providing them with the necessary skills, and then working with local employers to make sure that our learners go from training to a livable wage.”

For more information about this program, call Matt Kibler at (567) 245-1259 or email at mkibler@northweststate.edu.

Northwest State Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served northwest Ohio since 1969. Northwest State is committed to providing a quality, affordable education with personal attention and small class sizes.  The College offers associate degrees with numerous transfer options, short-term certificate programs, and workforce training programs designed to meet the needs of local businesses and industries. For more information, visit NorthwestState.edu or call 419.267.5511.