Staff Report
Cincinnati Bell has donated 30 laptops to support a local program that provides women training and certification for advanced manufacturing jobs.
The laptops will support Gateway Community & Technical College’s “Raise the Floor” program, which launched in January 2014. “Raise the Floor” is designed to address the current and projected advanced manufacturing labor shortage in the region, and help more women who are looking for sustainable careers.
There are currently hundreds of unfilled advanced manufacturing jobs in Northern Kentucky, and demand for trained workers is expected to grow rapidly.
Within the next three years, more than 2,500 advanced manufacturing jobs will need to be filled in Northern Kentucky, according to the Northern Kentucky Industrial Partnership. That figure grows to 6,200 in the next 10 years. Women currently comprise less than 10 percent of advanced manufacturing employees in the region.
The 12-week “Raise the Floor” program prepares students to receive the nationally recognized Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification. Gateway will help place certified students in entry level jobs that can start at $14 or $15 an hour. Certified students can also take additional Gateway courses to increase their skills in a particular area.
“Raise the Floor” is a hybrid model that combines classroom and individual learning. Cincinnati Bell’s laptops will help “Raise the Floor” students access the Internet, and give them the necessary flexibility to complete the individual learning portion of the program.
Marijke Woodruff, vice president of human resources for Cincinnati Bell, and Tim Beck, senior director for IT at Cincinnati Bell, coordinated the donation to Gateway.
“Cincinnati Bell is proud to support this important program,” said Woodruff. “It’s a true win-win: Gateway is helping its graduates find jobs, and advanced manufacturing companies are accessing more talent.”
A team of 26 female manufacturing executives and community leaders created “Raise the Floor,” which also includes a support system for students as they complete certification, apply for jobs, and move into new careers. Through support from Partners for a Competitive Workforce and Wider Opportunities for Women, Gateway has provided services to 47 women since it launched “Raise the Floor.”