Akron Life August 2023

EDUCATION

When tire factories were prevalent in Akron, many machining companies set up opera tions in Northeast Ohio, Norval says. “Within an hour of Akron — north, south, east and west in our circumference — there’s 1,100 machining companies,” Norval says. “Additionally, the average machinist is 50 and above, so they keep retiring. There’s

way more jobs than people qualified to do the job.” The training center works to help close that gap by training people to be machinists in a four-month program. Machinists make components and parts out of metal using a CNC mill or lathe. The school is located inside the OGS Industries manufacturing

plant, where parts and components are made for the military, airline and automo tive sectors. Companies utilize the CNC center to train employees because they can’t find experienced employees. Those who have a low income or are unemployed may qualify for free tuition through Ohio Means Jobs.

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AUGUST 2023 | akronlife.com