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SALINEVILLE - The Utica Shale Academy is expanding again after acquiring the former Huntington Bank building in Salineville.
Superintendent Bill Watson said the site at 50 E. Main St., which is only a stone's throw from the current Hutson Building location, will be utilized for career and workforce development with a classroom, offices and a hands-on work area while the Hutson Building will house the career-tech skills training and online curriculum.
"We purchased the building in partnership with Youngstown State University with funds from a $300,000 capital budget bill allocation, thanks to Ohio Sen. Michael Rulli and Rep. Tim Ginter [both R-Salem]," Watson said. "The idea is to utilize it during the day for students and we can open it to businesses and university and work symbiotically. It has been a longtime since the school, businesses and university have collaborated."
He added that the two-story structure was acquired earlier this month and includes between 5,000 to 6,000 feet of room that will lodge robotics in the basement for YSU's use, plus the bank teller space will be retrofitted to work on equipment such as Kubota Tech Diesel Mechanics Smart Sensors and Programmable Logic Controls (PLC's) to support the Governor's 5G Initiative that intends to create thousands of jobs over the next decade.
"We have permits for the welding lab and have broken ground, and then it should be completed by November," he said. "Once we retrofit the garage area, we will update the heat, air conditioning and add bathrooms."
The bank has not operated since around 2020 and the site sat dormant since that time, but USA officials hoped to use the space and expand learning opportunities for students in preparation for the workforce. Watson said they also have been working with the Sustainable Opportunity and Development (SOD) Center in Salem and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services' Comprehensive Case Management and Employment Program (CCMEP), and USA even provides Mahoning-Columbiana Training Association services for out-of-school youth to assist with training and job placement. About 40 people are presently involved and Watson said several are already employed with Summitville Tile.
"Through CCMEP, we provide mentor training and placement in jobs," he continued. "Right now, we are working on obtaining background checks and we are working with SafeSchools to send them out to the workforce."
He said any person ages 24 and under who live in Columbiana and Mahoning County may also apply. Other offerings include a horticulture program through Snap-on where participants may earn an NC3 certification, in addition to a safety program on backhoe and forklift operation through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).