Lt. Gov. Tressel says Cincy State provides “exactly what Ohio needs” to support high-demand careers
Ohio Lt. Governor Jim Tressel visited Cincinnati State on May 14, 2025, where he spent more than two hours talking to College leaders and industry representatives about the College’s achievements and what is needed to provide even more opportunities for students.
The Lt. Governor’s visit was part of a series of statewide community discussions that will help establish the Ohio Workforce Playbook. As described by Gov. Mike DeWine, the Ohio Workforce Playbook will “examine the needs and circumstances of Ohio’s various regions and determine a course of action to retain existing talent, recruit new talent to Ohio, and rally Ohio’s existing workforce to greater productivity.”
Lt. Gov. Tressel said Cincinnati State is a prime example of an educational institution that is preparing Ohio’s workforce to fill emerging jobs, adding, “The partnerships Cincinnati State has built with local employers and the programs they’ve developed are exactly what we need to get more Ohioans into high-demand careers.”
Lt. Gov. Tressel noted that Cincinnati State’s Main Building is the oldest facility at any Ohio community college and said he hoped the state as well as industry partners and other sources can help provide funds needed to renovate and improve the building.
Watch a 4-min. video with Lt. Gov. Tressel’s comments about his visit.
The visit started with a roundtable discussion focused on Cincinnati State’s partnerships with local business and industry to educate skilled workers for the aviation and automotive fields. Participants included President Monica Posey; Board of Trustees Chairperson John Silverman; Robert Reichert, CEO of the Kenwood Dealer Group; Carl Leugers ‘02, Senior Staff Specialist at GE Aerospace; Jeff Wright, Program Chair, Aviation Maintenance Technology; and Chuck Butler, Program Chair, Automotive Service Management.
The Lt. Governor commended Cincinnati State for its outstanding co-op program, and high job placement rates for graduates. Tressel said, “Whether a school’s graduates are employed will be increasingly important in the future” in relation to funding from the state.
Tressel also observed, “We need to raise awareness among the public of opportunities provided by places like Cincinnati State.”
After the roundtable discussion, Lt. Gov. Tressel toured the Advanced Manufacturing lab, where Mechanical Engineering Technology faculty members Zane Decker and Matt Spetz conducted demonstrations of equipment students use in classes (photo above). Some of the equipment was funded through state RAPIDS and Super RAPIDS grants.
Tressel also toured the Health Simulation Lab, and viewed plans for the “Main Street” project that will renovate areas on the first floor of the Main Building so they can house a variety of support services for students.
President Posey said, “We were please to host Lt. Governor Tressel. His workforce emphasis is in wonderful alignment with our efforts. He listened and engaged as we shared our needs to fund facility renovations and increase our ability to recruit and educate more students so we can help employers meet their current and future needs for skilled employees.”
