Plastics technology leads to expansion at college

A 12,000-square-foot building under construction at Northwest State Community College will contain four classrooms and lab areas for training students in plastics technology. The $1.4 million project is expected to be completed by Oct. 30.

ARCHBOLD - Growth in plastics industries is leading to expansion at Northwest State Community College, which is constructing a facility that will be used to train students in plastics technology.

The 12,000-square-foot building, which will cost $1.4 million, will contain four classrooms and lab areas for training. Completion is expected Oct. 30.

Tom Stuckey, executive vice president, said the need to train students in plastics technology is supported by 38 major plastics companies that operate within the community college's service area.

The plastics technology courses began last year with an interactive video hookup with Terra Community College near Fremont. The addition will allow students to move into the practical phase of training, including the capacity to build prototypes.

Ten Northwest students were involved in the program, while the fall enrollment is projected at 25, Mr. Stuckey said.

He expects that number to grow again when the program in the new facility is fully operational. Additionally, training for businesses is expected to draw about 300 other people to the rural Archbold college.

“This is an accredited program,” Mr. Stuckey said.

The presence of so many plastics firms in the northwest corner of Ohio translates into better employment opportunities for graduates of the Northwest program, he said.

Northwest State Community College, which changed its name from Northwest Technical College in the mid-1990s, serves Defiance, Henry, Fulton, Paulding, and Williams counties.

Last year Northwest had 2,800 students and 45 full-time and 140 part-time instructors.