2026 All Member Meeting Schedule

Our all-member meeting schedule for 2026 is set! Thank you to our Stark County member companies and organizations who have agreed to host and provide tours of your facilities. These meetings are a great way to:

• Network with manufacturing employer leaders and your peers
• Benchmark local, regional and state industry standards
• Become informed of state and local funding opportunities
• Become educated on OMA programs and advocacy efforts supporting Ohio’s manufacturers
• Become informed and volunteer for local Stark County outreach and workforce programs that build manufacturing workforce capacity in Stark County

Meeting times are typically 11:00-12:00 meeting/presentation and noon-1:00 lunch/networking and tour.

If you want calendar invites as placeholders for all meetings, click here and we will send invites for ease of adding to your calendars.

State Puts TechCred Application Process on Hold

TechCred is the state program offering funding to assist companies with technical training needs. The program gives businesses the opportunity to upskill employees with up to $2,000 reimbursement per credential, when the eligible credentials are completed.

We have been notified the State has put the TechCred application process on hold until further notice. The state is still honoring the reimbursement process if previously approved for TechCred funding once the technical credential is earned.

SCMWDP has been promoting this program and assisting companies in identifying acceptable technical training opportunities that address manufacturer’s needs. Since last year the SCMWDP team has helped Stark County manufacturers connect over 150 incumbent workers with technical or soft skill training.

A statement on the Ohio TechCred website says:

“In response to continued program growth and limited remaining funds for the current fiscal year, TechCred is not accepting applications at this time. We encourage you to continue checking the website regularly for updates on future application rounds.”

The SCMWDP team is working with the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association about the pause and will give further details when they are available.

SCMWDP Annual Coloring Contest – A Success!

The annual SCMWDP all-county second grade “Marvelous Manufacturing” coloring contest was a phenomenal hit with our Stark County youth!

Students from 67 second grade classrooms in 14 school districts participated. A coloring sheet from the Ohio Gratings, Inc. curated reading and activity book, entitled Mia’s Grating Adventure, was used as the base sheet.

Students who won first, second and third prizes were from Tuslaw, North Canton and Louisville respectively.

Sean Eller, SCMWDP Board President and Ohio Gratings CBO, helped celebrate with the class who had the most entries with a pizza party as he read the book to the class. Way to go Tuslaw!

This and other outreach programs through SCMWDP introduce the many and diverse career pathways in manufacturing to Stark County youth. This helps cultivate and build capacity of Stark County’s future manufacturing workforce.

Thanks to the Stark Education Partnership and the Stark County Educational Resource Center for assisting in promoting this program.

Details of this Made In Stark book are found on our SCMWDP webpage. If your company is interested in producing your own Made In Stark book please contact us as we can provide resources or help guide you through the process.

Funding Available for College Technology Interns

This is your chance to get some great, diverse young talent to work on any number of interesting projects! The state will reimburse two-thirds of the intern’s wages up to $7,500. You can be a technology company or simply a company with a technological need. The technology needs may be in process, design, research and development, administration and even marketing!

Companies do need to provide a meaningful internship experience, must have non-residential work space, and must hire interns as employees (W-2). You can hire as many as 10 interns for different positions. The minimum wage for interns is $15 per hour but can exceed that amount.

Company application to participate in this program and find a match for your needs is open until February 27. The internship would be effective from May 1, 2026 – October 31, 2026.

Program details including FAQ’s are found on the Ohio Department of Development page HERE