Education opportunities are a key factor in Knox County’s favorable quality of life. That point was made by Jeffrey Gottke, president of the Area Development Foundation, keynote speaker at Thursday’s Educators Breakfast at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, presented by the Knox County Chamber of Commerce.
The audience of about 160 included first-year teachers in the county’s five public school districts: Mount Vernon, Centerburg, Danville, East Knox and Fredericktown.
Gottke emphasized the importance of skilled workers to the county’s continued growth.
The percentages of county employment in manufacturing (22 percent), healthcare (19 percent) and education (13 percent) are all above the national average, he said.
“In 10 years, we will need 4,158 manufacturing employees and 2,942 in healthcare to replace current workers,” he said. “You must teach the academic and social skills tomorrow’s teachers and others will need.”
Anchoring Knox County’s education opportunities are Kenyon College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Central Ohio Technical College’s Knox Campus, Gottke said, also citing the Knox Technical Center, the Knox County Career Center and the five public school districts.
When prospective employers visit Knox County, they want to know three things immediately, he said: Where will their building be? What is downtown Mount Vernon like? And where will they get skilled workers?
“Education certainly is one factor in our quality of life,” Gottke said. “The others include a low cost of living, a rural lifestyle and small-town charm.”
Representatives of Kenyon, Mount Vernon Nazarene, COTC and Knox Technical College spoke during the breakfast. Teachers and administrators of the five public school districts were introduced by their superintendents: Kathy Greenich, KCCC; Ryan Gallwitz, Centerburg; Jason Snively, Danville; Jim Peterson, East Knox; Gary Chapman, Fredericktown; and William Seder Jr., Mount Vernon.
Dr. Timm Mackley, Knox Educational Service Center superintendent, mentioned two programs operated by the ESC: the Knox ESC Preschool and the Learning Center.
Carol Grubaugh, executive director of the chamber, said she isn’t aware of any other county chamber that offers an annual educators' breakfast.
“We do it because our chamber works with all types of businesses,” she said. “We love the relationship we have with all schools, from preschool to higher education.”
Kokosing Construction Co. sponsored the breakfast with support from Buffalo Wild Wings.
