Dayton Business Journal: Wright State uses $1.4M grant to create in-demand jobs

A local university received a grant to be used towards workforce development.

Wright State University secured a $1.4 million grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education as part of its Super RAPIDS regional program. This program is focused on education and training that maximize workforce development. Wright State is using these funds to acquire new equipment for its Dayton and Lake campuses.

This new equipment will be used to prepare students for careers in nursing, robotics and manufacturing. The grant will also be used to support in-class activities and enhance students’ classroom experiences at Wright State’s Dayton and Lake campuses.

“Wright State is a place where we’re big enough to have really nice equipment and small enough that our students actually get to touch it,” said Darryl Ahner, dean of Wright State’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The primary objective of Wright State’s workforce development project is to equip the region’s workforce with state-of-the-art technology, training resources and simulation tools so students are workforce-ready when they graduate.

“It continues to allow our students to be on the leading edge of technology as we’re moving into the 21st century,” Ahner said.

Wright State’s Department of Nursing will use its portion of the state funds to improve patient care and safety by enhancing training opportunities for nursing students.

Nursing students at the Dayton and Lake campuses will learn to use automated medication dispensing units, ensuring safe medication administration.

The students will learn to operate the same equipment used by Wright State’s academic practice partners, including Premier Health, where many Wright State nursing graduates are employed. Practicing the operation of automated medication dispensing equipment in the laboratory setting will assist students in the clinical setting and role transition after graduation.

Wright State also will purchase simulators on which students can continue strengthening their nursing skills.

Wright State has 11,000 students and an almost 2,000-person staff. The university offers a variety of programs from undergrad to graduate, including an MBA program.

Read the article at bizjournals.com/dayton.