Charter Next Generation employees earn plastics technician certificates

SHELBY — Several employees of local plastics companies completed 190 hours of instruction in blown film or ejection molding technology over 26 weeks at North Central State College.

Tuesday, North Central State College held a small ceremony for nine graduates who successfully completed the coursework for a Plastics Technical Certificate. Students may soon be able to receive college credit for the certificate program to be used toward an associate degree, said Linda Hess, director of Workforce Development.

All nine graduates are currently employed locally, and will be eligible for promotions with their employers upon graduation.

Charter Next Generation offered the training opportunity and paid the cost of the class for their employees to complete the coursework while they also worked full time in their regular jobs.

From mono- to multi-layer films, Charter Next Generation, with local facilities in Lexington and Ontario, produces blown, cast, and barrier solutions that are ideal for food, consumer, industrial, healthcare, and other protective applications, according to CNG's web site.

Hess said this is the third groups of plastics technicians who have graduated since NCSC began offering the certificate program. She said the project began when the college was able to buy equipment through the Ohio State University Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence.

"We bought an injection molding machine and a teaching lab-size blown films machine," she said.

Morgan Mayton of Mansfield was among the graduates. He has worked at Charter Next Generation films for four years come September and is now a lead extrusion technician, operating a line, setting up jobs and troubleshooting any problems.

Students juggled work schedules, online classes and homework during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Students learned a bit of everything from instructors Anna Andrews, Ph.D., and Kevin Andrews, Ph.D., including chemistry, physics, statistics, mathematics and hands-on lab work.

Dorey Diab, the president of NCSC, congratulated the students on a job well done as their grit, persistence and good study skills enabled them to complete the coursework.

What is the purpose of achieving the certificate?

"You want to enhance your technical skills. Why is that? Perhaps you want to get a better job. Or perhaps you want to enhance in your organization because with that comes better income, better family contribution, better community contribution," Diab said. "And you're meeting the needs of your employer so they can be more productive and more profitable and therefore work to hire more people."

Diab said every employer is looking for additional talent.

"They are very hard to come by," he said of workers with specialized training.

Diab reminded students that technical skills are needed but also human skills as well.

"What do I mean by that? You have good teamwork, your presentation, your attendance, you're showing up, you're working together your communication skills. You advance yourself while advancing your employer. Technical skills help you get the job. Human skills help you keep the job, just make sure you remember that. It's very critical for your success. We are very proud of our partnership with our business and industry in our area," Diab added.

The next groups of plastics technician students will begin training in October and could complete their training as early as April 2022.

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