Ribbon cut on $11.4M expansion at MCCTC
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CANFIELD -- Officials have cut the ribbon on the new $11.4 million LEAD Center at the Mahoning County Career & Technical Center.
LEAD stands for Leadership, Employment, Advancement and Discovery.
The new 40,000-square-foot center significantly expands MCCTC's career-technical education opportunities and its continued commitment to preparing students for high-demand careers in the Mahoning Valley and beyond.
The new facility will house these programs: Industrial Robotics and Automation, Computer Networking and Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence Systems and Software Development, and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.
"The gems of our education system are the career and technical centers," said Ohio Auditor Keith Faber at the ribbon-cutting Wednesday. "We have kids who can benefit from this kind of education, but we don't have enough slots for (all of) them. That is why these projects are so important."
The expansion at MCCTC provides students with access to modern learning environments, industry-aligned technology and hands-on training designed to meet the evolving workforce needs of local and regional employers, officials said.
As part of the celebration, MCCTC also dedicated the J. Paul Good Collaborative Space, named in recognition of Good's career in education and lifelong commitment to the students of the Mahoning Valley. Jeff Good, MCCTC board president and son of J. Paul Good, spoke at the dedication.
"My dad loved the Career and Technical Center," Jeff said. "My dad would have loved to see this expansion for the benefit of student opportunities."
He said his father served on the MCCTC board for more than 34 years and was on the Mahoning County Educational Service Center board as well. When his father first came on board, MCCTC was known as the Mahoning County Joint Vocational School.
MCCTC Superintendent John Zehentbauer said the expansion will allow the school to serve more students. He said the school could have 60 sign up for a course such as welding, but there would only be 25 slots available. The new LEAD Center will make room for more than 100 more students who want to enter a technical field.
"This facility represents much more than an expansion of our campus. It represents an investment in our students, our local workforce and the future of the Mahoning Valley," Zehentbauer said. "The LEAD Center allows us to expand opportunities for students while responding directly to the needs of the industries and employers we serve."