Monday, April 11th, 2022
Tri Star slowly building on success
By William Kincaid
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
Angela Kittle of Mendon begins the first steps of programming a CNC mill machine during a Tri Star Career Compacts adult education class.
CELINA - Winter/spring courses are wrapping up as part of the first fully uninterrupted year of adult education at the new $25 million Tri Star facility on State Route 703.
Roughly 120 students were enrolled at classes in the summer, fall and winter/spring sessions, the most since the program relaunched after a 23 year hiatus.
Adult education classes officially got underway again in 2019 but hit the skids when COVID-19 reared its head, according to Marcia Helentjaris, Tri Star's adult education and career development coordinator.
"We're just trying to build slowly," she said. "We pay attention to what the companies are asking because they're paying a lot of their people to come through our specific programs. We're not going to offer anything that's not needed out there."
Celina City Schools superintendent in 1996 decided to end adult education at Tri Star, according to Helentjaris.
Workforce Development Initiative of West Ohio, consisting of economic development officials and education partners, filled the gap by organizing adult education classes. Director Angela Hamberg in November 2020 announced the nonprofit organization was disbanding now that a new Tri Star campus was capable of housing programs that were once spread across the area in separate facilities.
"When it was decided that we were going to then have our own building, it was a great opportunity," Helentjaris said. "Now we're not taking spots from other buildings or using their facilities. We can use this now in the evening."
Helentjaris said Tri Star has hosted adult education classes in robotics for FANUC certification, beginning welding, machining/ computer numerical control (CNC), computer basics, ServSafe basics or food safety and forklift training. More classes are in the works.
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
Machining teacher Mitch Knous instructs students how to program a Haas CNC Mill machine for a 0.5 inch tool. Tri Star Career Compact offer adult education courses throughout the year including computer basics, robotics, machining and welding.
"I'm using a lot of our own teachers for these classes, which I take great pride in," she said, noting that many educators are former Tri Star students, experts in their fields and businesses owners.
The classes were developed with direct input from area businesses.
"Each class that we offer out here has an advisory board and their advisory board is made up of experts in the field and they're the ones that help guide the class," Helentjaris explained.
The courses were designed to accommodate the busy schedules of adults who juggle jobs, families and many other obligations. Classes are typically held twice a week in the evenings and last between two to three hours. Forklift training, held in the past, was a four hour course and ServeSafe a four hour session, she noted.
Almost all of the assignments and coursework are completed during class, meaning no homework.
"I think the advantage that we have over some other bigger schools is that the longest class we run is 44 hours (total). It's not a big commitment," she said. "As we get going we're finding that the companies are saying, '(Employees) just need a place to start. We'll finish their training. They just need a place to start.'"
Instructors strive to offer a casual, non-threatening environment for adults contemplating a return to the classroom.
"It's a big step and we understand that it's a big step," Helentjaris said. "The nice thing about small classes, they get individualized attention."
There are no prerequisites or testing requirements.
"If a person's interested we go ahead and start them up," she said.
Officials aim to keep the courses affordable for students, many of whom are taxpayers, charging an amount intended to cover instruction and materials, according to Tri Star Director Tim Buschur. Any remaining dollars would be reinvested in equipment.
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
Sean Glover of St. Marys reads a CNC machine screen during a Wednesday night machining class at Tri Star. Tri Star Career Compact offer adult education courses throughout the year including computer basics, robotics, machining and welding.
Many companies pay for their employees to take courses so they can move up to another position.
Course costs for winter programs ranged from $185 for ServSafe to $650 for machining/CNC. The cost covers all materials, equipment and books.
"When they come into, for example, this welding program, they get all the equipment. They get the helmet," she said. "If they leave that program at the end of that 30 hours and want to go out into the field they already have some of the equipment that they're walking out of here with."
Helentjaris said adults aged 18 to 70 have enrolled in adult education classes. Asked about their motivations, Helentjaris said some seek promotion at their current place of work and others, realizing a job has dried up, want to enhance their employability by learning a new trade.
"It's a huge, huge piece of our workforce development efforts and I can't say enough about it," said Jared Ebbing, community development director for Mercer County.
"What's she's done with it, how the companies are jumping on board … it's just come together," Buschur enthused.
Instructors are not only helping residents move up the ladder or get a foot in the door at area businesses but fulfilling a campaign promise to offer adult classes on top of high school vocational education.
"Before we got there they were driving up to Lima to Apollo or they were driving over to Vantage so we knew we had a huge population that needed training here," Helentjaris said. "This is saving them time on the road and money."
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
A CNC mill machine shapes a piece of steel during a class demonstration at Tri Star. Tri Star Career Compact offer adult education courses throughout the year including computer basics, robotics, machining and welding.
Area voters in August 2016 approved a 15-year, 0.95-mill bond levy to construct a consolidated Tri Star facility near Wright State University-Lake Campus.
"It's just awesome to see them get back into that world of adult ed and do what they're doing. When Tri Star was built we all talked about it being a keep-the-lights-on-after-the-school-day's over-(facility). It should be looked at as a community learning center for all," Ebbing said.
Helentjaris said Tri Star is open to creating additional classes based on evolving needs. As long as six students are enrolled, classes can proceed. Buschur allows personnel to try new things and if they fail, officials scrap the idea and move on to the next initiative.
Public awareness of the adult course offerings seems to be gaining steam.
"I think (word) is getting out there but I think that we have a long way to go," Helentjaris said, noting Tri Star aims to establish a firmer, more permanent adult education class schedule. "I think the companies are understanding that we are here to train. They probably hopped on board most quickly because of their need for workers."
