After decades of reliance on traditional, heavy manufacturing and steel, a progressive Ohio state community college, Lorain County Community College (LCCC), is preparing the next-generation workforce for the incredible advancements in manufacturing through a technology and entrepreneurship program called FlexFactor®. Developed by NextFlex, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute, FlexFactor is designed to engage students with industry, technology, and the education and career pathways that lead into the tech sector.
Working with LCCC, 13 students at Lorain County Early College High School successfully piloted the first local iteration, building on the successes of over 2,000 students in Silicon Valley where FlexFactor was developed. Over the course of the program, students gained hands-on experience applying cutting-edge flexible electronics to real-world problems, and acquired industry exposure to kickstart their career paths by visiting two local companies, Blue Spark Technologies and TRG, to see how advanced technologies are being used today. Students also engaged with regional economic development experts at Team Northeast Ohio, who provided insights and professional networking opportunities to help students connect their FlexFactor experience to the growing opportunities with local companies driving new technology adoption.
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