FROM CLASSROOM TO CAREER, LOCAL STUDENTS GET FIRSTHAND LOOK AT MODERN MANUFACTURING DURING NATIONAL MANUFACTURING MONTH

LEAD Training’s Career Quest Connects High School Students With Local Employers and Pathways to In-Demand Careers

CINCINNATI, OH – October 13, 2026 – LEAD Training, a growing Cincinnati-based nonprofit that equips primary and secondary students with essential life and career skills, is opening doors to some of the region’s most in-demand careers during National Manufacturing Month (October). Through its Career Quest program, LEAD is taking local high school students inside leading area employers for a firsthand look at careers spanning advanced manufacturing and robotics to medical devices—connecting them directly with the companies, professionals and opportunities shaping the region’s workforce.

Participating employers include some of the region’s largest and most respected manufacturers like AtriCure, E-BEAM Services, FESTO, Hi-Tek Manufacturing and Pioneer Cladding & Glazing. Students from area high schools including Norwood, Kings, Mason, Little Miami, Monroe, St. Bernard, Winton Woods, and Springboro, as well as Warren County Career Center and St. Rita School for the Deaf are participating in the Career Quest employer site visits.

“Manufacturing today offers so many diverse career paths, but students need opportunities to discover those possibilities firsthand,” said Riley O’Grady, Founder and Executive Director, LEAD Training. “When students can walk through a manufacturing facility, see the technology up close and talk directly with people doing the work, it can completely change their perception of what a career in manufacturing looks like,” she added.

LEAD Training career coaches work directly within partner schools to identify students whose interests, strengths and career goals align with opportunities in manufacturing and robotics. Coaches then help prepare students for employer visits so they can make the most of the experience. During the visits, students tour facilities, meet industry professionals and learn about the skills, education and training needed for a variety of roles, and they are introduced to career opportunities that are available within their own communities.

“Not every student knows what they want to do after high school, and they can’t consider careers they don’t know exist,” said O’Grady. “Our goal is to help students understand and explore their options, see where their strengths might fit and know that there are employers right here in our region looking for the next generation of talent.” For participating manufacturers, the program also provides an opportunity to introduce young people to their industry and help build awareness of career paths at a time when developing a strong future workforce remains a priority for the sector. To learn more about LEAD Training and its programs, visit https://www.lead-training.org/.

About LEAD Training

LEAD Training is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit organization that helps students from kindergarten through young adulthood build the skills they need to succeed in life and career. LEAD designs and delivers impactful programs centered on career readiness, life skills and social-emotional learning (SEL) by instilling confidence and helping to create a clearer vision for their future. Through innovative programming such as its High School Workforce Initiative where 2,500 students participated and customized SEL modules and career coaching, LEAD works to guide students towards viable post-secondary paths, whether traditional college, polytechnic education, career or service. LEAD’s programs achieved measurable results in the 2024-25 school year including 93% of Career Quest seniors graduating with a clear career plan, 91% of High School SEL Future Leaders students reporting growth in their social-emotional skills, and a 96% overall satisfaction rate among students. To learn more about how LEAD fuels futures, schools and workforce development, visit https://www.lead-training.org/.

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