Feb. 13—State Rep. Jamie Callender, R-Concord Township, recently announced that the Ohio Controlling Board has released more than $169,000 to Lakeland Community College.

The funding, through the school's Workforce Based Training Grant program, will go toward capital improvements for students enrolled in nursing, nurse assistant, surgical tech, medical assisting, dental hygiene, histotechnology (centering on microscopic detection of tissue abnormalities for disease diagnosis and treatment) and geospatial technology programs.

According to the United States Department of Labor, geospatial technology — information describing objects, events, or other features with a location on or near the surface of the earth — is one of three emerging industries with the highest demand for workers and potential growth in the next decade.

The programs are estimated to serve 390 students annually, college officials noted.

"Ensuring that our students have access to the latest equipment being used in their field is key to creating job-ready graduates," Callender stated in a news release. "With job openings in many fields, ensuring that the residents of Lake County are not only ready to fill these positions but succeed day one is critical to maintaining Lake County as a leader in technical excellence."

Lakeland President Morris W. Beverage Jr. said the college is tremendously grateful for the capital investment.

"Local employers identified this equipment as critical to prepare students with the up-to-date training and skills needed for immediate employment," he added.

The Ohio Controlling Board is the financial legislative oversight for capital and operating expenditures by state agencies.