Greater Akron is a big fan of talent. We are committed to nurturing it at the forefront of the ever-evolving business world. We provide the professional and technical training resources businesses need to stay abreast of new ideas and best practices.

The many universities in the region provide a regular stream of highly trained graduates looking to stay in the area. The University of Akron and Kent State University together have about 65,000 students at all levels of study, from associate degree students to Ph.D. candidates.

The universities are closely tied to the community and provide not only well-educated graduates but also research and development opportunities, and a stimulating intellectual climate.

UA’s Workforce Training Solutions is a liaison between the university and surrounding corporations. As a connecting partner, the Workforce Training Solutions department inventories all available intellectual and physical resources of the University, and offers a performance consulting service to companies in search of training, continuing education, or custom consulting. It has five locations in Greater Akron.

The Center for Corporate and Professional Development at Kent State University helps companies meet talent development needs with customized on-site employee training and public professional development programs and certifications.

Stark State College offers more than 200 associate degrees and certifications in business, education, engineering technologies and many other fields. It is based in North Canton but has satellites in Akron, Barberton, Alliance and Canton proper, and it also offers several online courses. It has the lowest tuition in the area.

The college has more than 30 four-year college partners to helps ensure credits are transferable and that students are being well prepared for higher education.

Stark State’s Workforce Training and Development program helps business leaders who are seeking trained and qualified workers to add to their workforce or ways to train the current workforce. Individuals who want to improve their competencies may want to take skills training at Stark State.

The Akron Public Schools College and Career Academies were developed with the nonprofit Ford Next Generation Learning. APS worked with Ford and ConXusNEO, which tracked regional and economic data to identify skills and careers in high demand.

Based partly on that data, each school developed two to three academies each with three to five pathways, ranging from biomedical engineering to dance. Students and teachers use experiential learning to make lessons come alive.

Different pathways—designed and supported by community partners—are created to introduce students to a variety of college and career options. Benefits include: small learning communities, learning through a career lens and business engagement. The business partners include Bridgestone Americas, Inc., the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Key Bank.