Penta Career Center is experiencing growing pains, which Superintendent Ed Ewers believes is a good thing, as more students seek a career technical education.
With the career center full to capacity, the Penta school board is keeping an eye to the future, authorizing the administration to pursue funds from the career technical education facilities expansion state grant.
The superintendent said the current Ohio biennial budget includes $200 million for career technical facilities, which will become available if the legislation is approved.
“Our application is predicated on the budget passing,” he explained, adding he wants to be prepared by submitting the district’s funding request.
“Once those dollars are approved, the state will begin reviewing applications,” he added.
Mr. Ewers said enrollment this fall exceeds capacity, although the district typically has a percentage of students who change their minds.
With enrollment growing, and in an effort to get ahead of workforce demands, the board approved a request by the evaluation committee to employ Kleinfelder Architecture Inc.
The firm will serve as the design professional to provide master planning services for a capital improvements project.
“We really are out of space,” said Mr. Ewers, adding that part of what the firm will look at is “flexible space” that can be transformed to meet needs.
He noted that with technology ever changing and evolving, the programs must evolve as well.
The superintendent pointed to robotics and artificial intelligence as an example. Currently, the two are part of one program, but in the future may need to be separate programs.
“We are trying to be prepared to meet workforce needs now and as they change,” he said.
“In a time when there is a worker shortage, that might mean more demand for individuals trained in automation,” the superintendent continued.
Mr. Ewers believes the architectural firm will be beneficial in guiding the career center. “I think this is a good option going forward,” he said, adding, “There are exciting things ahead.”
~Jane Maiolo
