The Troy Fire Department was recently approved for a TechCred grant through the Ohio Department of Development, which will fund tuition for Fire apprentices and employees.
TechCred, a program from the Ohio Development Services Agency, provides funding for employers who want to provide technical training for current and future employees. Employers can receive up to $2,000 per credential when those employees complete technology-focused training. Troy Fire has worked with Edison State Community College to enroll its employees and apprentices in TechCred-eligible training programs, lowering the cost of tuition.
“TechCred will be an additional grant that will accompany our established local grants to help our EMTs get their paramedic certificate," said Fire Lieutenant Aaron Simmons, who applied for the TechCred grant.
2021 will mark the third year of the Department’s new apprenticeship program. Two apprentices work alongside fire staff while earning paramedic and Fire certifications through this three-year program.
Troy Fire is the first organization in Ohio to be approved through TechCred for the Paramedic Program.