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Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel toured Tri Star Career Compact Thursday afternoon.
CELINA - When Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel took over as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2001, one of the first things he figured out was that if the football team didn't let any of the good players leave, it was going to win.
"Well that's the same thing with our business and industry: If we don't let the good ones leave, we're going to be fine," Tressel said Thursday afternoon, highlighting the crucial role Tri Star Career Compact plays in educating youth in ways that allow them to find employment without leaving home.
Tressel, along with Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge, State Rep. Angie King, R-Celina, and local business owners and elected officials, toured Tri Star to learn about how it is preparing students for the workforce through career technical education.
Tri Star offers 17 student programs ranging from interactive media to marketing education to teaching professions, as well as adult education courses, at its $25 million, 101,170-square-foot, two-story complex on State Route 703.
Students come from nine school districts in two counties (hence the term "compact"). They attend half-days at Tri Star and the other half at their home schools.
The Tri Star Career Compact is the only compact in Ohio that is not attached to another school, according to Tressel's office.
In addition to learning about the circumstances that gave rise to the state-of-the-art facility on his fact-finding mission, Tressel actively engaged instructors and former students to get a better understanding of the vocational programs and the opportunities awaiting graduates on the other side.
Tressel was confirmed as lieutenant governor in February, succeeding Jon Husted, who was appointed to U.S. Senate seat vacated by JD Vance.
"It's been a blast over the course of the last five-and-a-half, six months to go around and see all the extraordinary things that are going on," Tressel said. "A lot of great thought put into (Tri Star), and it's beautiful, but really the thing that makes this, you can tell, is the people who work here."
The instructors are passionate about what they do and care about the future of the region and Ohio, he stressed. He also acknowledged the importance of local businesses that donate money, equipment and other resources to Tr Star, and offer students job shadowing and career opportunities.
"And really, the businesses that jumped in … without that, you just don't have quite the resources that you need and the hope for the students as they're getting ready," Tressel said. "They drive by those businesses and they see they have friends whose families work at those businesses. … We need them to stay here."
In the last 10 years, Ohio has skyrocketed from No. 34 to No. 5 on the list of most attractive states in the nation for business start-ups and expansions, according to Tressel.
"It's a lot because there was a lot of good forethought with how we set up JobsOhio and how we decided we're going to invest in these training opportunities," he said. "Not so much in regions like this, but we need to catch up on the workforce side. And that's why facilities like this, in keeping them home, is so critical. And so, hats off to what you're doing here. It's just extraordinary, and keep it up and keep finding a way to keep getting better."
While visiting manufacturing and machining technologies instructor Brian Gilliland's shop area, Tressel was introduced to 2009 Tri Star graduate Tom Burden, who went on to work as an aircraft mechanic for the U.S. Air Force, earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toledo, and invented a non-slip, flexible tool mat called the Grypmat.
Burden appeared on the TV show Shark Tank, where he secured a deal with Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner and Richard Branson, according to Tri Star's website. He also founded Grypshon Industries and made the Forbes 30 Under 30 List.
"What is amazing is because I went through this (Tri Star) program I had the skillset," Burden told Tressel. "When I was in the Air Force, it was kind of rare for those skillsets to overlap. Usually people who work on fighter jets don't also know how to work a machine shop."
Tressel also heard from animal health instructor Mike Seibert about the need for large animal veterinarians in the area.
"We've got a problem," Tressel agreed.
Tressel pointed to The Protect One Health in Ohio (Protect OHIO) initiative. According to AVMA Publications, Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine received about $10 million of additional state funding for its annual recruiting budget to help strengthen the state's veterinary workforce, public health and agricultural economy.
"Well, we're trying to turn it around where we don't have as many out-of-state students because they go back home," Tressel said. "So we want to get more in-state students and that's when they approved that addition for us. So hopefully it will start to bridge the need."
Moreover, Tressel learned that Seibert cannot legally render, or process, animal carcasses in his classroom.
"We should be able to get an exception to teach kids and get them interested in that," he said. "I would guess the need for workforces in the processing world is just as challenging as any other world."
Instructor Brenda Speck showed Tressel around her med prep classroom. Med prep is one of Tri Star's most popular programs, requiring two instructors to accommodate 50 students each year.
"Our program is not just for nursing," Speck said. "We give the kids a good base to help them go into any field."
Graduates have gone into such areas as surgery, cardiology, nutrition and emergency medical services.
Med prep graduates Caitlyn Nuding of Celina and Audrey Wendel of St. Henry are now both nursing students at Wright State University-Lake Campus and work at Mercer Health.
"Lake Campus … is across the street. What a great opportunity," said Tri Star director Tim Buschur. "My two nieces, they can get their nursing (degree) for like $26,000 - not per year, total."
Asked by Tressel about her favorite experiences at Tri Star, Nuding pointed to her time job shadowing in childbirth care at Mercer Health, where she witnessed a natural birth.
"I wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse ever since I saw that," she said.
Touching on Wendel's hometown of St. Henry, Tressel gave a shoutout to the Midwest Athletic Conference.
"This is a legendary area. The MAC, right?" Tressel said. "Don't mess with the MAC."
Tressel cited famous Buckeye football players who came from the MAC, including, Jim Lachey, Bobby Hoying and brothers Ross Homan and Adam Homan. He also shared an anecdote from his days as an assistant coach at Ohio State when the Buckeyes were led by then head coach Earle Bruce.
"(Offensive tackle) Jim Lachey was 6'6, 280 pounds, and he ran in a state track meet, at the 100-yard dash," Tressel said.
Bruce, a high school state champion in the 100-yard dash, would tell Lachey that he was faster than the St. Henry native.
"So finally they race," Tressel continued. "So poor Earl takes off, after about the first five yards, and pulled his hamstring. He jumped straight in the air. That was the last time he challenged Lachey."
