Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools broke ground on its newest building, the NextGen Training Center, at Fairfield Career Center, with Lt. Governor Jon Husted in attendance providing support.
On Tuesday, September 17, Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools (EFCTS) broke ground on its newest building, the NextGen Training Center, located at the Fairfield Career Center campus in Carroll, Ohio. In a momentous occasion attended by more than 500 special guests, including high school students, faculty, staff, business partners, education and community leaders, the event marked a significant step forward in the district's commitment to providing in-demand, cutting-edge career and technical education.
Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, an advocate for workforce development and career-technical education, was in attendance to show his support and addressed the crowd about the importance of hands-on training programs to prepare students for the workforce of the future and further strengthen Ohio’s workforce.
“Ohio’s economy is growing, and as businesses come here and make investments in our state, they need readily available talent to fill in-demand jobs,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Through Career Tech, you can go to school, earn a credential, graduate debt-free, and then get a great job right here in Ohio.”
Following remarks by Eastland-Fairfield Adult Workforce Development Director Todd Hoffman and Superintendent/CEO Shelley Groves, Lt. Governor Husted joined EFCTS leadership, students, and Board of Education members to put the first shovels into the ground on the construction site.
“We are so excited about the doors that we will help open to high school and adult students through the NextGen Training Center and the programs being hosted in it,” said Eastland-Fairfield Superintendent and CEO Shelley Groves. “We are incredibly grateful for all of the support from the Lieutenant Governor and the Governor’s Office that helps us to provide those opportunities.”
The NextGen Training Center will house three critical programs designed to meet the needs of both students and Ohio’s growing industries:
High School Welding: Expanding on Eastland-Fairfield’s existing welding offerings, this will be the district’s second high school welding program, providing students with access to state-of-the-art equipment and hands-on training, preparing them for high-demand careers in manufacturing and skilled trades.
Adult Broadband Infrastructure Training Program (BIT): As demand for skilled professionals in broadband infrastructure continues to grow, this program will equip adult learners with the technical expertise necessary to support Ohio’s expanding digital infrastructure, including broadband installation and maintenance.
High School 5G/Lineman: To further supplement the demand for network infrastructure systems in Ohio, the 5G/Lineman program will focus on preparing students for careers managing fiber optic, broadband, and 5G networks. This includes installation and maintenance in commercial, industrial, and residential settings.
The NextGen Training Center will feature lab spaces for the Welding and Broadband Infrastructure Training programs, as well as seven large classroom learning spaces to accommodate additional students. The Welding lab will be outfitted with 30 state-of-the-art individual welding booths combined with the most current technology for advanced training. The shared 5G/Lineman and BIT program space will feature eight 32-foot utility poles for skill development and safety training.
The additional programs will help to serve more than 100 high school and adult students, annually. Eastland-Fairfield entered the 2024-25 school year with 1,975 students enrolled in its high school programs and is seeing increases across multiple adult programs, including Welding, HVAC, Medical Assisting, and Dental Assisting.
“Eastland-Fairfield is committed to continue growing and providing opportunities for students and partners in our communities,” continued Groves. “When students arrive on campus, we encourage them to pursue their ‘E’: education, employment, entrepreneurship, or enlistment. Now, we as a district are committing to our own ‘E’: Expansion, and in doing so, making a deeper commitment to them.”
The NextGen Training Center was made possible, in part, through the Career and Technical Construction Grant Program. In November 2023, the Governor’s Office announced that two grants totaling $300 million would be committed to support career technical education centers around Ohio. Eastland-Fairfield was awarded $4.02 million through the Construction Grant Program to support an additional welding program. The remainder of the Eastland-Fairfield expansion project will be supported through the EFCTS General Fund. The project, once completed, is expected to cost approximately $17-18 million and includes the NextGen Training Center building, its contents, a new primary driveway, a roundabout, transplanting the campus's digital sign, and additional traffic flow alterations to accommodate the extra students.
Construction on the 34,000-square-foot structure will begin in late September. The NextGen Training Center is expected to be complete in late July with plans to be ready to open its doors for the 2025-26 school year.