Ohio Senator Jon Husted visited several sites in Dayton, meeting with students, educators, community leaders, and representatives from the aerospace sector. The visits included the Miami Valley Career Technology Center (CTC), the Hope Center, and Joby Aviation’s new manufacturing facility.
The Miami Valley CTC serves 27 high schools in the area and offers more than 50 career technical programs for juniors, seniors, and adult learners. During his visit, Husted highlighted the importance of such institutions for workforce development. “Career tech schools like Miami Valley CTC prepare Ohio’s workforce to earn well-paying salaries and fill in-demand jobs in our state. My FEED Act corrects outdated rules so students enrolled in SNAP can continue their education without jeopardizing their families’ benefits. I also supported the budget law to make career tech programs more affordable by expanding access to Pell Grants so that students can have job security and higher earning power,” said Husted.
In his Senate role, Husted has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at expanding access to training and education. The bipartisan Food Eligibility for Education and Development (FEED) Act would update eligibility rules for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Under this act, students aged 18 to 21 enrolled in approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs could work part-time without having their earnings count against their or their families’ SNAP benefits. He has also put forward the DECIDE Act and the Student Debt Alternative and CTE Awareness Act to help families make informed decisions about education costs.
At the Hope Center, which provides resources including job training programs and housing initiatives in northwest Dayton, Husted met with local leaders. “The Hope Center’s work to train and certify nursing aides and other important health care professionals to support Dayton children and families has transformed the community by creating generational prosperity and opportunities. The ‘Hope Zone’ initiative supports more than 6,700 children across northwest Dayton. I value the opportunity to visit the center and meet with leaders face-to-face,” said Husted.
Joby Aviation recently began production at its new assembly-line facility located at Dayton International Airport. The company invested at least $477.5 million into a 140-acre site with plans to produce up to 500 all-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft per year for commercial passenger use. While serving as Lieutenant Governor, Husted played a role in attracting Joby Aviation’s investment—the largest aerospace investment in Ohio history—to the region.
“Two years ago, Joby Aviation announced the construction of its first electric air taxi manufacturing facility in Dayton, expanding its operations from California to Ohio. This was the single largest aerospace investment in Ohio history, helping Dayton solidify itself as the center of aviation innovation, from the Wright Brothers to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I appreciated seeing Made-in-Ohio in action today at Joby,” said Husted.
