Governor Announces Third Frontier Internship Awards in Massillon, Youngstown
COLUMBUS, OHIO (October 22, 2003) - Governor Bob Taft today presented more than $270,000 in Third Frontier Internship Program grants during stops in Massillon and Struthers. Combined with matching funds, the grants are expected to provide at least $540,000 to sponsor 86 students from those areas with internship opportunities in high-tech companies.
"We want our children and grandchildren to be able to stay close to home, because the good jobs are here in Ohio, close to home," Taft said. "The Third Frontier Internship Program is one way to do that while benefiting Ohio businesses. I commend organizations like The Employment Source and the Industrial Information Institute for Education, as well as all the project partners for taking part in this important and promising initiative."
While at Aultman Hospital in Massillon, Taft presented a grant of $157,500 to The Employment Source of Canton to provide 50 college internships in Canton-area companies. The award money will be matched by participating organizations, ensuring at least $315,000 will be available to sponsor internships. There are currently nine local businesses and nine educational institutions serving as participating organizations. The Employment Source, will manage the program.
At an event at Materials Research Laboratories in Struthers, Taft also presented $113,400 to the Industrial Information Institute for Education, Inc. of Youngstown. Combined with matching funds, at least $226,000 will be available to provide 36 internships for Youngstown-area students. Eleven companies are currently participating organizations.
The Third Frontier Internship Program aims to develop a pool of talented workers for Ohio businesses; create student work experiences for Ohio residents; enrich the educational experience of college students; and expose educators to the strategies and processes of today's business environment. The three-year, $15 million initiative, utilizing federal funds from the Governor's allocation of Workforce Investment Act funds, is expected to create approximately 1,300 internships in 2004 and a total of 4,500 over the next three years for Ohio students and will be administered by the Department of Development.
The Third Frontier Project is Taft's $1.6 billion job creation program to expand Ohio's high-tech research capabilities and promote start-up companies to create high-paying jobs. It is the state's largest-ever economic development investment and has received bi-partisan support from the Ohio Legislature. The final part of the Third Frontier Project, a $500 million bond program up for voter approval in November, would allow the state to allocate $50 million annually over the next 10 years to attract top research talent to Ohio institutions, help with the development and commercialization of new products and create new, good jobs for Ohioans.
