Developing Career Pathways
Developing Career Pathways
Southern Ohio is entering one of the most significant periods of industrial growth in its history. ASCEND Academy exists to make sure the people of this region are ready for it — and that employers can find the skilled workforce they need to expand and thrive.
THE FOUNDATION
Training built around what employers actually hire for.
Most workforce systems begin by asking what educational institutions are prepared to deliver. ASCEND Academy begins with a different question: What workforce do employers actually need to build the future of Southern Ohio?
That distinction shapes everything. The Academy is the workforce implementation partner of the ASCEND Business Alliance. Through the Alliance, employers collectively identify emerging workforce requirements — and the Academy translates those requirements into coordinated career pathways delivered through existing regional partners.
The result is training that is relevant by design, not by accident.
ASCEND Academy graduates also benefit from direct access to ASCEND Business Alliance member employers — the same businesses that help shape the curriculum and actively recruit from the Academy pipeline. Training connects directly to opportunity.
THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH
"Strong businesses create opportunity. Skilled people sustain strong businesses. Connected career pathways create both."
Economic development and workforce development are inseparable. Communities cannot recruit employers without a prepared workforce. Educational institutions cannot prepare students without understanding employer needs. Workers cannot confidently invest in their education without clear visibility into future careers.
ASCEND Academy strengthens every one of those connections.
HOW THE ACADEMY OPERATES
Eight principles that keep
workforce development honest.
Coordinated
ASCEND Academy works with existing K–12, higher education, career technical centers, organized labor credentialing, and all supportive organizations to find and fill in gaps, referring collaboratively so students thrive.
Sustainable
Long-term employer partnerships and diversified funding sources create enduring workforce capacity that outlasts any single project or grant cycle.
Measurable
Success is tracked through employment outcomes, employer satisfaction, credential attainment, wage growth, and workforce participation rates.
Adaptive
Curriculum evolves continuously with industry, emerging technology, and employer demand. Relevance is a moving target — and the Academy moves with it.
Regional
Programs respond to workforce needs across Southern Ohio while remaining anchored to the PORTS ecosystem that defines the region's future.
Accessible
Career pathways serve students, incumbent workers, veterans, career changers, displaced workers, and lifelong learners — wherever they are in life.
Collaborative
The Academy coordinates existing institutions and expands their collective impact. It does not build another institution competing for students or funding.
Employer-Led
Workforce priorities are informed by verified employer demand through the ASCEND Business Alliance — not assumptions about what might be useful.
THE FOUNDATION
Training built around what employers actually hire for.
Most workforce systems begin by asking what educational institutions are prepared to deliver. ASCEND Academy begins with a different question: What workforce do employers actually need to build the future of Southern Ohio?
That distinction shapes everything. The Academy is the workforce implementation partner of the ASCEND Business Alliance. Through the Alliance, employers collectively identify emerging workforce requirements — and the Academy translates those requirements into coordinated career pathways delivered through existing regional partners.
The result is training that is relevant by design, not by accident.
ASCEND Academy graduates also benefit from direct access to ASCEND Business Alliance member employers — the same businesses that help shape the curriculum and actively recruit from the Academy pipeline. Training connects directly to opportunity.
THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH
"Strong businesses create opportunity. Skilled people sustain strong businesses. Connected career pathways create both."
Economic development and workforce development are inseparable. Communities cannot recruit employers without a prepared workforce. Educational institutions cannot prepare students without understanding employer needs. Workers cannot confidently invest in their education without clear visibility into future careers.
ASCEND Academy strengthens every one of those connections.
THE ACADEMY CYCLE
From employer demand to
workforce solutions — five steps.
1
Employers identify workforce needs
Through ASCEND Alliance industry councils, businesses communicate anticipated hiring, emerging occupations, skill shortages, and future workforce priorities. Collective demand replaces isolated requests.
2
The Academy analyzes regional trends
Common competencies, credential requirements, and emerging occupations are identified across industries. Individual employer needs become regional workforce opportunities.
3
Training strategies are developed with partners
Rather than building new institutions, ASCEND coordinates existing schools, colleges, career centers, apprenticeship programs, and training providers — each contributing their strengths to a unified pathway.
4
Employers validate and participate
Businesses review curriculum, lead advisory panels, host internships, provide instructors, and connect graduates with hiring opportunities. The loop between training and employment stays tight.
5
Outcomes are measured and pathways refined
Job placement, wage growth, credential attainment, employer satisfaction, and retention data continuously improve the system. Success is measured in lives changed — not classes delivered.