Changes to Ohio’s TechCred Program Announced

On May 29, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Development Services Agency announced changes to the state’s TechCred program. TechCred was introduced in the fall of 2019 when unemployment rates were at historically low levels and offered employers a program to help employees obtain specific credentials or technological skills. However, due to COVID-19’s impact on unemployment rates and business’s needs, the program has been altered for its next funding round, which begins June 1 and ends June 30, 2020. Changes to the program include:

• Employers will identify the number of employees they will upskill, rather than identifying specific employees.
• Employers who were previously approved in past funding rounds may substitute employees listed in their original application.
• Employees are now permitted to earn multiple credentials per application period.
• Employers who received funding in October 2019 or January 2020 and had programs interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic may request an extension of their timeline.

Qualifications for eligible credentials include:

• Credentials include certificates, which are earned by successfully completing training(s) or course(s), or certifications, which are earned by passing a standardized test recognizing an individual’s competency in a particular specialty.
• Credentials must be industry-recognized.
• Credentials must be short term, meaning that that the program must be able to be completed in less than one calendar year in programs that are fewer than 900 clock hours or 30 credit hours.
• Credentials must be technology focused, depending on science, technology, engineering and/or math as well as technical skills such as developing, deploying, or investing in technology such as software development, advanced manufacturing, cyber security, computer hardware, military applications, data analytics, or other emerging fields.

To see a list of eligible credentials or to request approval for an unlisted certification, visit https://techcred.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/techcred/about/credential-list/.

In the June round of funding, employers may be reimbursed up to $2,000 per credential for successful applications where a current or prospective employee completes an eligible credential. An employer can receive up to $30,000 per funding round. Eligible employers are Ohio registered employers that employee Ohio residents as W-2 employees. Individuals must be W-2 employees at the time of the reimbursement request. Employers may only submit one application per application period.

For more information about TechCred, visit techcred.ohio.gov. For questions about this program or other support for manufacturers, contact a member of the HBK CPAs & Consultants Manufacturing Solutions Group, by calling 330-758-8613 or emailing manufacturing@hbkcpa.com.