The next round of TechCred opens on June 1^st and closes on June 30^th at 3:00 p.m.

The most recent TechCred application period closed at the end of April. Today, 310 Ohio employers were approved for funding, resulting in Ohio employees earning up to 3,882 tech-focused credentials.

In addition, more small businesses took advantage of the program this round than ever before, with 124 small businesses requesting credentials. With the approvals recently announced, a total of 1,310 Ohio employers have been approved for funding, supporting the earning of 23,723 tech-focused credentials by Ohio employees. This round fulfills a commitment made by Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted to fund 10,000 credentials each year to help close the skills gap for growing technology jobs. This commitment was met within the first 19 months of the program.

Ohio small business owners can visit TechCred.Ohio.gov to apply and help their employees earn a short-term, technology-focused credential at no cost. Not only can businesses upskill their current employees, but they can upskill those they plan to hire as long as they are on the payroll at the time of reimbursement.

More than 1,100 Ohio businesses have used TechCred, some having used it multiple times, creating the opportunity for 19,841 technology-focused credentials to be earned by Ohio employees. Guidelines for TechCred can be found here.

What Is TechCred? TechCred helps Ohioans learn new skills and helps employers build a stronger workforce with the skills needed in a technology-infused economy. Many of these trainings can be completed online! These technology-focused credentials take a year or less to complete and prepare current and future employees for the technology jobs Ohio employers need.

Employers no longer need to identify specific individuals in an application. Instead, employers will list the number of current or future employees who will earn each credential. Employees can also now earn multiple credentials each application period!

The length of the grant will be reduced from 18 months to 12 months from the award date. Training programs must start on or after the date of the award, not before, and must be completed in less than 12 months. Training providers are no longer eligible to receive reimbursement for employees trained in-house. If a training provider wishes to utilize TechCred to upskill their employees, they must use an external training provider.

The term credentials is an overarching term that includes both certificates and certifications.
Certificate: Earned by individuals who successfully complete a training, course, or series of courses.
Certification: Earned by individuals who pass a standardized assessment that recognizes an individual’s knowledge, skill, or competency in a particular specialty.

Employers applying for TechCred must select which credential their employee is pursuing. To be considered eligible, credentials must meet all three criteria. Eligibility requirements for credentials include:

• They must be industry-recognized.
• They must be technology-focused (as defined below).
• They must be short-term. Credentials must be certificates or certifications able to be completed in less than 12 months or in programs that are fewer than 900 clock hours or thirty (30) credit hours.

Technology credentials demonstrate the competencies necessary to succeed in an occupation that utilizes technology to develop, build, and deliver products and services. Technology credentials rely on science, technology, engineering, and/or math-related education, as well as technical skills, to benefit an employer dependent on the development, deployment, and investment in new and emerging technology, including software development, advanced manufacturing, data analytics, cybersecurity, computer hardware, and design, military applications and other emerging fields.

Credentials on the approved list have been recommended by the Technology Review of Educational Credentials (TECHREC) panel of experts and approved by the Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education. The list of approved credentials can be searched here.

The results from the April application period will be announced in the near future.