Skilled Technical Workforce

In 2019, a comprehensive report by the National Science Board identified a significant need to provide educational upgrades and skills development for what is now called the Skilled Technical Workforce (formerly Blue Collar STEM) in order to make our nation more competitive in the ever-advancing technology-based economy.

The men and women comprising this population are found in every community, with varying levels of college education (if any), with five or more years of job experience, and many have families. At this stage in their lives, they are generally not interested in pursuing traditional college coursework, need online or hybrid learning experiences and skills development that are relatively quick, inexpensive and relevant to career advancement.

Upon completion of the course, participants are expected to:

• Build practical, job-ready technical skills in the specific technology area the course covers,
• from IoT-enabled instrumentation and data analytics to artificial intelligence and applied diagnostics
• Become more comfortable and competent working with the technology tools, platforms, and systems used in today's workplace
• Apply what they've learned directly to real tasks and decisions in their day-to-day role
• Collaborate more effectively across technical and non-technical team members by sharing a common understanding of the tools and concepts involved
• Adapt more readily as new technology is introduced into their industry or role
• Carry a credential that documents their upskilling and supports their ongoing career growth

Walsh University’s STWF courses:

• Are developed and taught by consultants and business leaders alongside Walsh faculty
• Combine real-world, practical applications and cutting-edge technology
• Include customized course content and solutions specific to each individual business
• Have flexible delivery options to meet the needs of your employees
• Are relevant to all industries
• Are scalable to various levels of education and/or work experience

To qualify under Ohio's TechCred program, a course must meet three requirements: it must be industry recognized, it must be technology focused (built around applied, hands-on technical skills rather than general concepts or basic software use), and it must be short term (completed in under 12 months, or in fewer than 900 clock hours or 30 credit hours). Walsh's STWF courses are designed and structured to meet all three requirements.

Walsh University teamed with a group of talented industry professionals and consultants to design and teach this unique curriculum. In doing so, we have created programs that are relevant, highly customized and provide tangible results delivered in a format that is completely unique.

We want to be a long-term resource to your business and to your employees. These are not simply traditional, "one-and-done," one-size-fits-all classes that have minimal short-term impact. These are ongoing business development programs with multiple tiers to serve every level of your organization.

As a listed training provider under Ohio's TechCred program, employers of Ohio residents may qualify for reimbursement of up to $1,000 per credential, per participant (up to $30,000 per employer application), which can cover most or all of the cost of these programs depending on the credential.

You spoke and Walsh listened! Our team of consultants discussed with business owners the most effective way to provide value with sustained impact. The majority of the companies agreed that effecting meaningful change would require programming that would catalyze the company to adopt a corporate culture embracing the concepts being a "data-driven" organization.

They didn't want a "one-and-done," one-size-fits-all class targeted to one group within the organization. They wanted a program that would be a "top-to-bottom" solution to help the front-line worker, the middle manager and the corporate executives speak the same language, understand the baseline concepts of IoT technologies and/or data analytics and appreciate their role within the organization as it related to implementing these strategies.

The Walsh University STWF Program does just that. Our team of industry professionals designed a series of programs that are scalable in order to accommodate participants with various levels of education and/or work experience. We can meet your employees where they are in their learning and design a customized program to maximize the impact for your business.

Walsh University's Skilled Technical Workforce courses are designed to meet the eligibility criteria for credentials approved under Ohio's TechCred program. Eligible Ohio employers may apply for reimbursement of up to $1,000 per credential, per participant, up to $30,000 per application. TechCred accepts employer applications during scheduled application periods; the next period runs October 1 through October 30, 2026.

For more information about TechCred, including employer eligibility, visit the Ohio TechCred website. For additional details about TechCred or Walsh's customized programs, contact Dr. Daniel Passerini at 330.244.4746 or dpasserini@walsh.edu.