CENTER OF ATTENTION — Leaders of Eastern Gateway Community College and state and local officials participated in a ribbon-cutting Thursday for the college’s new Regional Workforce Building on Sunset Boulevard. The center will provide training in several fields to students of various ages, including displaced workers. -- Warren Scott

STEUBENVILLE — Eastern Gateway Community College is expanding its workforce training program with the opening of a new facility with equipment and resources needed to prepare students of various ages, including displaced workers, for several fields.

Leaders and staff of the college were joined by state and local officials for a ribbon- cutting Thursday to mark the opening of EGCC’s Regional Workforce Building on Sunset Boulevard.

The center was supported in large part by $836,332 in federal funds awarded through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization grant program.

In addition, several computerized milling machines and lathes, used to create a wide variety of parts and tools, were acquired for the center with a $450,000 Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills grant from the Ohio Department of Education.

Arthur Daly, EGCC senior vice president and chief development officer, said 3-D printers and two driving simulators will be added to the facility, which will offer instruction in additive manufacturing, industrial maintenance, phlebotomy and skills required for a commercial driver’s license.

EGCC President Michael Geoghegan told attendees, “We often say America’s 21st century workforce begins at Eastern Gateway. This building will help to ensure area residents have access to the credentials needed to compete in that workplace.”

Geoghegan thanked many involved in securing funds and other support for the center. Among them were U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta; the Governor’s Office on Appalachia and the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association; Karla Martin, EGCC senior vice president and chief diversity officer; and the buildings and grounds department of the college’s Steubenville campus, who worked to prepare the former Hess building for its new purpose.

State Rep. Ron Ferguson, R-Wintersville, Mayor Jerry Barilla and leaders of local school districts were among many area officials on hand to congratulate the college on its latest development.

Geno Taglione, market manager of human resources for Trinity Health System, noted the hospital has partnered with EGCC to train local students to fill much-needed vacancies for phlebotomists, nursing assistants and pharmacy technicians.

“Trinity Health System couldn’t be happier to have this program in our backyard,” he said.

Amelia Taggart, director of workforce at EGCC, noted two Trinity staff members instruct five Steubenville High School students in phlebotomy in a pilot program the college hopes to expand to other school districts.

Before leading guests on a tour of the facility, Taggart introduced about a dozen fourth-grade girls from Pugliese Elementary School involved in EGCC’s Women in Sustainable Employment program, which is designed to introduce young females to potential careers in industrial manufacturing.