The Ohio Department of Higher Education awarded Clark State College a $180,871 Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills, or RAPIDS, grant to acquire advanced manufacturing equipment and expand its career training programs in engineering, robotics and industrial technology. The grant supports Clark State’s ongoing commitment to aligning educational programs with workforce needs, strengthening regional economic development and preparing students for high-demand careers in the manufacturing sector.
The funding will be used to acquire several pieces of modern equipment that will directly impact training in key areas of advanced manufacturing, including robotics, computer numerical control, computer-aided design, welding, industrial maintenance and collaborative engineering.
“These additions will significantly enhance the student experience by providing hands-on learning with technologies that mirror those used in today’s most advanced production facilities,” said Adam Parrillo, dean of business and applied technologies. “This RAPIDS grant allows us to expand our capabilities and respond to the direct needs of local industry, ensuring our graduates are workforce-ready from day one.”
Equipment acquired through this initiative includes Fanuc Certification mobile carts and a metrology table workbench designed for precise measurements, which will increase capacity and improve training quality in the college’s robotic technical certificate and workforce development programs. The new equipment will reduce the student-to-trainer ratio to two-to-one and will be integrated into key robotics courses, as well as Clark State’s bachelor of applied science in manufacturing technology management program. The carts will also support Clark State’s lending lab, which provides training tools to local high school and career tech center partners.
Also included is the Titan 25T CNC Press Brake, which will expand Clark State’s ability to train students and workers in CNC programming, CAD, welding and industrial maintenance. This equipment will be utilized in several advanced courses and will support increased demand from regional employers seeking skilled press brake operators and technicians. Additionally, the college will create Zoom room collaborative engineering and robotics classrooms that simulate modern collaborative work environments. These smart classrooms will allow students to interact with live data, 3D models and simulation software, enhancing their digital fluency and teamwork skills while aligning closely with the expectations of today's advanced manufacturing and automation workplaces.
“This equipment gives our students access to the same technology used by regional manufacturers,” said Parrillo. “Whether they’re learning robotic programming or press brake operations, they’re developing the exact skills our employers need.”
The RAPIDS grant not only enhances academic programs but also supports broader economic development efforts. According to the Dayton Development Coalition, a JobsOhio partner, advanced manufacturing is one of the leading industries driving growth in the 14-county Dayton region. The sector includes more than 2,500 establishments and employs more than 130,000 workers, contributing more than $11 billion in payroll to the regional economy. The new equipment and expanded training capacity at Clark State will help sustain this growth by producing job-ready graduates and upskilling the existing workforce.
The proposal and equipment selection were developed with direct input from Clark State’s industry advisory boards and regional partners. During the planning process, the college consulted with employers, shared the project scope with leaders from Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center and Greene County Career Center and received letters of support endorsing the initiative.
“The success of our technical programs depends on ongoing collaboration with industry,” said Parrillo. “Every piece of equipment in this project was chosen based on employer feedback and labor market needs. Clark State’s continued investment in equipment, collaborative learning spaces and workforce-aligned curriculum ensures that students are not only well-educated, but also equipped with the skills and experiences employers value most. These upgrades will be leveraged across multiple academic programs and will play a vital role in fast-track training opportunities designed to meet the needs of both new learners and incumbent workers seeking upskilling. We’re not just teaching theory—we’re replicating real-world scenarios so that when students step into their first job, they’re already ahead of the curve.”
This is one of many grant awards Clark State has received to support engineering and manufacturing programs, having also received $540,000 in the spring of 2024. That grant was used to purchase hands-on training equipment and provide electrical, pneumatic training equipment and goggle systems for virtual clean room training experiences, all supporting careers in industrial maintenance, semiconductors and electric vehicle battery production. In addition, the spring funding supported new gas lines for welding and laser processing, both of which are essential skills in the current and future advanced manufacturing workforce, and enabled Clark State to establish a director of advanced manufacturing Workforce Programs position to collaborate with industry stakeholders and develop non-credit training programs, fortifying the college's ties with the region's industrial base.
Individuals interested in learning more about Clark State’s programs can visit www.clarkstate.edu. Scholarship opportunities for summer and fall 2025 semesters are now available. Amounts range from $500 to $5,000 from the Applied Technologies Scholarship, an innovative financial aid option between the H1B and Metallica grants that supports engineering and manufacturing, covering the cost of tuition, fees, and textbooks. Summer semester begins May 27 while fall semester begins August 18.