Charles George, Youngstown State University trustee and Canfield businessman, left, and Jim Tressel, YSU president, center, speak with Lt. Gov. Jon Husted on Monday at YSU after he announced the launch of two programs to help Ohioans prepare for careers in the telecommunication industry, specifically in broadband internet and 5G. YSU is partnering with the state to help pilot one of the programs.

YOUNGSTOWN — The expansion of high speed broadband internet and the deployment of 5G, the more reliable and higher-performing fifth generation mobile network, are expected to create thousands of jobs for Ohioans.

Now, the task is to seize on the tremendous growth opportunity — born out of necessity — by growing and training Ohio’s workforce for careers in the in-demand telecommunications industry.

And to do that, the state on Monday at Youngstown State University launched two programs: its Broadband and 5G Sector Partnership Grant and two 5G Readiness programs, the latter of which YSU is piloting along with Ashland University.

The universities are the first two in Ohio to be part of the readiness programs that offer an 80-hour course that will cover the core fundamentals of 5G, including cellular communications theories, 5G technologies, fiber for wireless and Wi-Fi integration.

Both were given $180,000 from the state to provide 25 scholarships for students to participate. The course starts in spring 2022 semester.

“The students who complete this program will understand the core fundamentals of 5G, which allow them to start their careers in the telecommunications industry at a higher level than they otherwise would be eligible,” said Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who announced the leading-edge initiatives outside YSU’s new Excellence Training Center.

For example, an engineering student with the credentials provided by the course can go right into the position of radio frequency engineer and skip the entry-level position. Doing so means a higher wager immediately and ability to advance at a faster pace.

“One of the beginning discussions we have had in this whole initiative is we want to stack credentials onto our current students — and you use the example of stacking this credential onto that engineering student, it makes a $10,000 difference at the outset and their upward mobility in the future will be extraordinary,” YSU President Jim Tressel said.

“Now our job is go out and recruit. That is whole key. We know there are going to be more opportunities in our region and in our country than we can imagine,” Tressel said. “Our job is going to be to get the students to understand the opportunities that are there.”

STRATEGY

Ohio’s broadband and 5G strategy also includes a sector partnership to design and distribute curriculum and training programs to supply the industry with skilled workers.

The state’s colleges and universities can apply for the sector partnership, and as part of their application, they will identify a nonprofit telecommunications industry partner that will lead the effort.

The nonprofit will provide the expertise and guidance to align the training programs with industry needs, “making sure what the students learn will be applicable, will prepare them to be ready to go for the jobs that are being created in the industry,” Husted said.

The grant application period that opens Monday goes through Dec. 17. The grant award will be announced in January.

Said Jennifer Oddo, YSU’s executive director of strategic workforce education and innovation, “the impact that 5G broadband is going to have on our community, our region and the state of Ohio is just extraordinary.”

“One, it’s going to help really accelerate and (help) us bridge that digital divide so more individuals in the state have access to internet. But what is even more exciting is it is going to be programs that we can train our neighbors in, whether you are somebody who is interested in this but maybe you don’t have an advanced degree, we have some training programs to help you get into the entry points in the industry,” she said. “For our university students or those who have a degree in IT (information technology)-related fields, this is an incredible opportunity to really build on those stackable skills that are going to be be so in-demand for the broadband industry.”