DeWine helps celebrate $6 million expansion at Buckeye Career Center

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine joined local leaders, educators and students Aug. 22 to celebrate the $6 million medical facility expansion project at Buckeye Career Center in New Philadelphia.

The $6 million project, supported by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission Career Technical Construction Program, adds new space with modernized classrooms to prepare students for in-demand careers.

“This investment is about creating opportunities for students to graduate with skills that lead directly to meaningful careers,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “By expanding programs like these, we’re helping ensure that Ohio’s workforce is ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow.” 

The expansion includes 13,000 square feet of new instructional space and new labs for nursing, pharmacy and medical assistant hands-on training programs. This school year marks its highest enrollment in the past decade.

“Career technical education changes lives, and today’s opening is a win for the community and Ohio,” said Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel. “This is a place where students can discover their calling with real-world equipment and leave here prepared to contribute from day one.”

BCC offers more than 30 career-technical programs for high school students, along with specialized facilities including a medical simulation lab, welding booths, a culinary arts kitchen and restaurant, computer labs, and an automotive service center with lifts and diagnostic systems.

“This expansion is not my vision—it is our vision,” said BCC Superintendent Bob Alsept. “It belongs to our students, our staff, and our partners who believe in giving young people every chance to succeed. Walking through these spaces, you can see what’s possible when people come together to invest in our future.”

The project was funded with $2.8 million in state funds and $3.1 million in local contributions, for a total project cost of nearly $6 million.