OVCTC college and career day draws more than 20 exhibitors

More than 20 colleges and companies filled the Ohio Valley Career & Technical Center for College & Career Day, giving Adams County students a direct look at the jobs, enlistment options, college programs and business ideas that could shape life after graduation.

The event was more than a recruiting fair. Students moved through conversations about employment, enlistment, education and entrepreneurship, a mix that made the day a practical bridge between classroom lessons and the choices ahead for West Union-area students. For a rural district, that kind of exposure matters because it shows teenagers not just what is available after high school, but what local and regional employers are actually looking for.

OVCTC also used the second day of its programming to highlight Vitruvian 3D concrete printing, where students gained hands-on experience with the Scorpion and other state-of-the-art equipment. That work connected career exploration to advanced construction and additive-manufacturing technology, two areas where modern employers increasingly need workers who can operate specialized machinery and adapt to new production methods.

The school’s focus fits closely with the way Ohio now describes career-technical education. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce says CTE is designed to give students real-world skills and pathways to high-demand careers. In the 2023-24 school year, 141,503 Ohio students took at least one CTE course, including 91,015 students in a workforce development pathway, showing how large the state’s pipeline has become. The department also says Ohio has committed $300 million in career-tech equipment and construction grants, underscoring how much modern tools matter in preparing students for work.

OVCTC has already been part of that broader investment push. In August 2024, The Ohio State University South Centers Manufacturing Extension Partnership purchased a CNC milling machine to be housed and used at the school, expanding training in machining and manufacturing. A year earlier, state Rep. Justin Pizzulli visited OVCTC to tour the facility and discuss state budget funding for career-tech centers, placing the school in the middle of a larger regional conversation about workforce training.

For Adams County, the message from College & Career Day was clear: OVCTC is not only exposing students to colleges, it is showing them the equipment, employers and technical pathways that can lead directly into the region’s workforce.