John Austin from Ohio Technical College

John Austin from the Ohio Technical College gave a presentation about careers that are in great demand in Ohio. 

John Austin from Ohio Technical College

Mr. Austin uses magic and humor to help students understand the difference between a job and career. Tri Star & Career Based Intervention would like to thank Mr. Austin for his time!

CBI Tri Star Student Makes Reynolds & Reynolds History

Elizabeth Suhr and Cassie Vondenhueval

Tri Star CBI students Elizabeth Suhr and Cassie Vondenhuevel both worked for Reynolds and Reynolds while they were still in high school. According to Dennis Hirt, Personnel Director at Reynolds, both young ladies have done an outstanding job.

Reynolds and Reynolds employs over 300 people and has been part of the local community for over 100 years. In that time, they had never employed anyone who was 17 years old, but Cassie Vondenhuevel was the first. Because she was in a vocational class (CBI) through Tri Star, she could work for Reynolds and gain valuable work experience while making good money at the same time.

Tri Star is very proud of these two CBI students!

Shout Out to Mr. Hirschfeld

Mr. Hirschfeld, Celina High School Assistant Principal

Tri Star and CBI would like to thank Celina High School Assistant Principal Mr. Clinton Hirschfeld for visiting the CBI classes and explaining the 2-hour delay policies and procedures, transportation forms, and parking privileges.

Without the patience and understanding of Mr. Hirschfeld and Mr. Metz, Celina High School Principal, the CBI program would not be as successful as it is currently.  The Celina High School teachers should also receive a lot of credit for working with the CBI students to ensure students can attend work on those 2-hour delay days.

Our local companies throughout Mercer and Auglaize Counties appreciate all of the support that the local school principals and administrators provide.

Two CBI Students Achieve Level One Firefighting Certification

Garret Winget (left), Ethan Laffin (right)

Ethan Laffin during training

Garret Winget and Ethan Laffin, two Celina CBI Tri Star students, are not only certified welders, but also took the initiative to become Level One Firefighters. Both students showed their commitment and dedication by working full time jobs and attended training classes at night. Tri Star is very proud of these two fine young men! Congratulations!

Darke/Auglaize/Mercer Twenty Under Twenty Banquet

Don Berry, CBI Instructor, Garret Winget, and Mr. Dues, of Duesway Manufacturing

Tri Star Career Compact Student Garret Winget was recently recognized at the Darke, Auglaize, Mercer “Twenty Under Twenty” Banquet held at Romers in St. Henry, Ohio.

This outstanding student was honored for his accomplishments and for having worked collaboratively through career training and other career development activities. 

Garret is a certified welder through the 90 hour welding course sponsored by the West Central Ohio Workforce Development Initiative (WCOWDI), and he is a Certified Level 1 Firefighter after completing the training program this spring.

Garret was also CBI Student of the Year for 2015-2016, along with classmate Colin Homan of Marion Local.

The purpose of this new initiative is to connect education and business to help secure a skilled workforce. Our region has witnessed a shortage of skilled workers and this group is working to encourage and support mentoring, part-time work, job shadowing, internships, co-op programs and other business partnerships.

2015-2016 Seniors CBI Students Graduation Plans

Tri Star Career Compact would like to honor seniors from the 1st period CBI class in Celina. These students meet at the Education Complex and are required to have a job & work an average of 15 hours per week. Students and future plans include:

Maddy Cline -Celina- Rhodes State - Occupational Therapy Asst
Sarah Ross - Celina-WSU-Lake - Early Childhood Education
Colin Homan -Marion Local- Mike's Sanitation
Mitchell Brubaker-Celina-Ohio Tech College-Welding & Fabrication
Rose Flore-Celina0WSU-Lake-Criminal Justice, Forensics
Garret Winget -Celina - Duesway Inc.
Mitchell Franzer - St. Henry - Workforce - Crown
Ethan Laffin-Celina- Klosterman Concrete/EMT paramedic school
Zach Rieger - Celina- WSU-Lake - Kerns Chevrolet

Tri Star Career Compact would like to honor seniors from the 2nd period CBI class in Celina. These students meet at the Education Complex and required to have a job & work an average of 15 hours per week. Students and future plans include:

Hunter Wycuff -Celina- Duesway Inc. - Welder
Mackenzie Cromwell-Celina-Paul Mitchell School of Make Up
Mark Clausen-Celina-Hocking Technical College- Science
Brianna Schulte-Celina-Paul Mitchell School of Make Up
Cassie Vondenhuevel- Celina - Reynolds & Reynolds (fulltime)
Libby Suhr-Celina - Reynolds & Reynolds (fulltime)
Haley McGillvary - Celina - WSU-Lake - Nursing
Callie Vogel - Celina - UNOH
Alissa Post - Celina - Walterbush Farms (fulltime)
Lindsey Yaney - Celina - Workforce

Lidea Bowersock - Celina - Celina Manor - Rhodes State-Nursing
Dylan Colllins - Celina - Florence Livestock - Meat inspector

CBI Students Graduate from Local Welding School

Local Welding Program Reaches Milestone

CBI students Junior Mejia and Mitchell Brubaker with Josh Hough, instructor

Career Based Intervention student, Mitchell Brubaker, interviewing with Crown

Recently the partners of the West Central Ohio Workforce Development Initiative (WCOWDI) celebrated reaching a milestone.  After 12 sessions, the welding program has now exceeded 100 candidates who have benefitted from improving their skillset.

The celebration was held at the Tri Star Dennings Building in St. Marys.  When asked about their experience in the welding course, all of the candidates stated the program exceeded their expectations.

“By partnering with Tri Star, we are able to provide another avenue for high school students, adults and incumbent workers to obtain an in-demand skill”, said  Angela Hamberg, the WCOWDI coordinator. “For this session, we offered several of the seats to high school seniors”, added Hamberg. 

The 2-year Tri Star Career Compact career tech welding program (for high school students) typically fills up leaving some on a waiting list.  Mitchell Brubaker, a Tri Star Career Based student and WDI candidate commented “I was on the waiting list for the Tri Star welding program”.  He was thrilled to be able to given a second opportunity to learn to weld during his high school career. “I did not know one thing about welding, but this (WCOWDI) program has encouraged me to further my education.”  Brubaker said that he has been accepted to Ohio Technical College in Cleveland and is looking forward to how his newly obtained skill can help him in the future.

As part of the celebration, local companies were invited to participate in an interview process with the candidates.  Companies like Crown Equipment Corporation, Kinninger Production Welding and Nidec-Minster saw benefit in connecting with these newly trained individuals.  “I was impressed.”, said Renea Woeste of Crown Equipment Corporation.  “The students are motivated and have a good work ethic.” 

A few of the students are currently enrolled in the Tri Star Ag Mechanics program.  Many local companies seek students who have hands-on mechanical ability.  Adding the welding training certification increases their marketability for their future.  Jacob Hamblin, a Tri Star Ag Mechanics student and WDI candidate, commented, “I like to tinker with things.  Welding and mechanics go hand-in-hand”.  Hamblin is considering continuing his education at Hobart Institute.  He likes the hands-on approach and learning from experts in the field.  The hands-on approach is what he liked the most about the WDI welding program.

“Students (like this) are a perfect fit for our assembly or remanufacturing area” stated Nidec-Minster HR Manager, Brian Styer.  “I made some good connections”, added Styer.

“Our first training program began in January of 2012 with the intention of helping local companies fill positions that were going unfilled, due to lack of skills. The silver lining has been when we hear about the difference the short-term training has made in a candidate's life and career opportunities. It is very rewarding and worthy of celebrating.”, stated Hamberg.

Submitted by Angela Hamberg on March 31, 2016 at www.newbremen.com/blog