Columbus State Community College has officially introduced its new Northeast Franklin County Accelerated Training Center! The Accelerated Training Center at 7795 Walton Parkway will be focused on supporting the needs of New Albany International Business Park employers and the surrounding area, including college collaborators like biotechnology pioneer Amgen, among other modern high-tech enterprises.

“This customized workforce training solution is launching at the right place and the right time,” said David Harrison, Columbus State’s president. “This location will help launch members of our community into sustainable, good-paying career opportunities, and help fuel the growth of new and existing industries in Central Ohio.”

“Columbus State is a welcomed addition to our community,” said New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding. “I hope this becomes a long-term partnership supporting the entry of local workforce talent into our plentiful and diverse job opportunities. We are proud to be a major contributor to the robust economic development of our region and want people from all backgrounds and neighborhoods throughout central Ohio to take advantage of industry growth here.”

Attracting more than $45 billion in private investment to date, the New Albany International Business Park is one of the biggest business parks in the country and one of the fastest growing in the Midwest. It is currently home to more than 25,000 employees and is the future site of Intel’s Ohio operations, which is expected to initially create 3,000 Intel jobs, 7,000 construction jobs over the course of the build, and support tens of thousands of additional local long-term jobs across a broad ecosystem of suppliers and partners.

“Accessible entry-level training just around the corner is a significant advantage for our current and future prospective business park employers, who offer secure paths for in-demand career advancement,” said Bill Ebbing, New Albany Company president and CEO. “Maximizing our region’s opportunity for economic growth requires engaging the full strength of our potential workforce, which will lift up historically marginalized populations by demonstrating these good jobs are for everyone, not just for people with existing skillsets and experience.”

Columbus State is initially offering training programs for pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical care patient access representative jobs at the Northeast Franklin County Accelerated Training Center. Programming coming online in the next quarter includes biotechnology production of gene-based therapies, introductory manufacturing fundamentals, corporate customer service and sales support, and English as a Second Language offerings. The short-term programs range from two weeks to 12 weeks, depending on discipline, and are eligible for funding support.

“Columbus State has been a proven partner in swiftly skilling up workers from no experience to entry-level biomedicine production professionals,” said Sandra Rodriguez-Toledo, Amgen’s vice president of site operations. “Their accelerated training boot camps are a key pathway into our local workforce. Training people where the jobs are is an innovative way to introduce them to the community and educate them about the many opportunities a short-term investment in education will generate.”

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Bootcamp participants learn about Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and develop the skills to work in a cleanroom environment, ensuring product safety and integrity. GMP training is a highly transferable skill, opening the door to jobs in food, beverage, beauty, personal care, agricultural and semiconductor manufacturing.

Patient Access Representative program participants build skills to perform intake and provide customer service for patients seeking medical care across a range of healthcare settings. Expanding the introductory level of employable healthcare professionals is critical to filling the region’s healthcare sector jobs that grow alongside and are critical to our region’s expanding population as economic development accelerates.

As Columbus State celebrates its 60th anniversary year, the college continues to lead regional work to address key talent needs and expand economic prosperity:

• Columbus State was tapped by the S. Department of Labor to lead the development of education and training programs throughout Ohio designed to prepare future employees of Intel, Amgen, Honda and other advanced manufacturers.
• Columbus State is the anchor institution for the Columbus Workforce Hub, one of five such hubs designated by the White House. The Workforce Hub has developed a regional workforce strategy to address key needs in advanced manufacturing and construction trades.
• Columbus State and OhioHealth have launched an unprecedented partnership to address workforce shortages in nursing and other key healthcare roles.
• Through a federal grant, the college is leading the National Information Technology Information Center (NITIC), which is focused on creating and scaling up the high-demand training needed to fuel the country’s technology-enabled economic growth.

To learn more about Columbus State’s current and future accelerated training programs, visit www.cscc.edu/acceleratedtraining.