Meta opens innovation lab at Licking County school

JOHNSTOWN, Ohio (WCMH) -- Big tech is investing in the Johnstown community and Monday was another milestone in the partnership between education and business.

Community leaders, government officials and technology companies celebrated the new innovation lab at Johnstown High School. It is another step forward for Johnston students to explore the STEAM field firsthand.

"We're going to actually be taking theoretical concepts and making them real life and project-based a lot of times; however, ultimately what we are trying to do is help prepare the workforce for the future. We need over 10,000 jobs in central Ohio," Johnstown-Monroe Schools Superintendent Philip Wagner said.

The innovation lab sponsored by Meta is another step in getting local students ready for those thousands of job openings.

"My hope is that with this partnership, kids now can kind of see themselves in our roles, and I think that's what it's all about, is being able to say one day I hope to have that job at Meta based upon our partnership but also our investment into this community," Meta Community Development Regional Manager Chris Suel said.

Students showed guests what each machine could do and how it would help them earn credentials and prepare them for jobs while still in school.

"I think the people, the community are now starting to see the upside of it, that you have literally some of the most high-tech companies in the world investing in your own community, in your own children, helping them become students who have great skills, that are going have great career opportunities," Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. "Central Ohio is really the tech hub of the Midwest for this high-tech manufacturing. And they're investing, this is a partnership between education and business."

Students said they are excited to get this hands-on learning.

"I think that it's going to bring a lot of opportunities for a lot of the students to really dig into what careers they might want to do," Johnstown High School junior Yuli Staneart said. "I think it's going to bring a lot of jobs, opportunities and I think Johnstown, as a whole, is really going to get a new name for itself, but in a better way."

There was also a workforce forum where stakeholders including Meta and Intel spoke about educational and employment needs.