From OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
A collection of colleges and universities in northern Ohio, including Owens Community College, recently secured $3 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to support the Academic Programs to Enhance the Hydrogen Economy project.
The effort brings together Owens, the University of Toledo, Case Western Reserve University, Cuyahoga Community College and Northwest State Community College with the Ohio Aerospace Institute and the Workforce Intelligence Network. The goal is to train workers for new and existing jobs to safely store and handle hydrogen and build and maintain hydrogen-based infrastructure.
“Owens Community College is happy to collaborate with such amazing institutions to study the future of a hydrogen-based infrastructure. This project could not happen without the efforts of the University of Toledo, along with United States Representative Marcy Kaptur. This is another way for Owens to help train and educate the workforce of tomorrow in northwest Ohio,” said Charlene Page, executive director of Owens Workforce and Economic Development.
An online discussion on “Workforce Readiness for the Hydrogen Economy in Ohio and Michigan” will take place from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, February 27. The virtual discussion will identify current and future workforce needs in Ohio and Michigan. The public is welcome to attend the discussion to learn more about the efforts. Click register for the discussion.
The funding from the Department of Energy will allow the collaborative effort to establish a workforce development program and expand course offerings. The project aims to develop new training programs to provide skilled workers needed for the hydrogen-based economy in northern Ohio while also serving as a model for future expansion of workforce development programs.
Owens will develop and implement new credit and workforce training programs to support the hydrogen economy. It will collaborate with the other institutions to develop the course content. The schools will also explore a transfer program that would allow students from Owens to transfer to a bachelor degree program in hydrogen academic program at Toledo or other Ohio universities.
“Owens’ STEM and Workforce departments will continue to develop strong academic and workforce programs in coordination with regional employers, secondary schools and stakeholders,” Page said. “This funding will support and encourage Owens’ ability to be an indispensable partner in workforce and economic development throughout northwest Ohio.”
Page said one of the most important steps is establishing a map of our current hydrogen-based infrastructure. With the project still in the information-gathering stage, the group sent a survey to key stakeholders in the area, called the Hydrogen Social Network Analysis, an effort to map the regional hydrogen ecosystem that will shape the future of hydrogen. The first survey identifies connections and collaboration opportunities among organizations, and a second survey will concentrate on workforce needs and job skills.
Plans are to recruit students as early as Fall 2026.
