The Logan County Collaborative is a partnership between community leaders, private businesses and the superintendents at Bellefontaine, Benjamin Logan, Indian Lake and Riverside school districts and the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center.
Logan County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ben Vollrath updated members of the Bellefontaine City Council Tuesday on the progress of the Logan County Collaborative, and its 3E campaign.
The group promotes workforce development and career pathways for Logan County students and helps to organize the Seventh-Day Career Day and Logan County Workforce Expo for high school pupils.
As a new project, the collaborative recently launched the 3E campaign with the goal of ensuring each of these three pathways is given equal and fair consideration, respect and honor by students, parents and the community.
In the U.S., only 39 percent of the population has an associate’s degree or higher. In Logan County, only 23 percent have an associate degree or higher. This is in part due to the abundance of employment opportunities that offer good pay and fulfilling work, Vollrath related.
“Locally, we have dozens of employers that are anxious to hire hardworking high school graduates interested in establishing a career near home,” he said. “Many of these employers will even pay for additional schooling once someone has committed to being part of their team (examples include Mary Rutan Hospital and Green Hills Community).
“These aren’t simply entry level jobs either. Graduates earning the skilled trades (welding, plumbing and electrical) can easily have starting paychecks above $60,000 per year.”
Collaborative representatives said the 3E campaign is just taking off in schools. Administration and teachers are using the language, parents are being informed and students are seeing it each day on TV screens inside their school cafeterias.
“Help us make the 3E’s part of our common vocabulary in Logan County,” Vollrath said. “I encourage you to broaden your perspective on future pathways for the students in your life.
“Employed. Enlisted. Enrolled. Each is a great possibility worthy of your consideration, respect and honor.”