Mercer County ESC Business Advisory Council Recognized at Ohio Town Hall

Mercer County ESC BAC receives 3-star honor for the third consecutive year

Celina, Ohio – The Mercer County Educational Service Center (ESC)’s Business Advisory Council (BAC) was formally recognized with a 2025 Business-Education Leader 3-Star Award for Excellent Business Advisory Councils during the Annual Town Hall hosted by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW).

These awards honor two-, three-, and four-star-rated Business Advisory Councils throughout the State of Ohio for their exceptional work building strong partnerships to instill professional skills for future careers and coordinating experiences for students. 2025 marks the third consecutive year that Mercer County ESC has been honored for their work in connecting students and schools with regional businesses. 

Locally, the Mercer County ESC BAC worked in 2024-25 on the following initiatives, submitted to the state as part of a comprehensive plan last September:

• Continued providing one-on-one Career Coaching for high school students and career day presentations in schools, as well as connecting students to improved job shadow experiences.

• Continued an ongoing partnership with Wright State University-Lake Campus’s Business Enterprise Center to provide an Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship Program, where high school student participants successfully earned their Certified Manufacturing Associate credential as well as the Certified Manufacturing Pre-Apprentice through ApprenticeOhio, made possible by the Good Jobs Challenge Grant.

• Awarded over $15,000 to more than 40 local students to provide assistance with Driver’s Education classes, made possible by the Drive to Succeed grant awarded by the Ohio Transportation and Safety Office.

• Awarded a 2025 Business Advisory Council Grant to support career development at the Community Learning Center (CLC), which will provide funding for YouScience career assessments and career-connected learning for CLC students.

• Invited students from Mercer County schools to attend the second annual “In-Demand Career Learning Labs,” which provided 10 sessions with hands-on activities to more than 110 high school juniors, presented by 18 business partners.

• Hosted the annual Manufacturing Month School Tours in October, exposing more than 650 7th graders to careers in 8 area companies which highlighted career pathways leading to success in their industries.

• Piloted an Essential Skills curriculum in ESC-service district classrooms, which included a partnership with the Mercer County Economic/Community Development Office and Hometown Opportunity in producing videos highlighting how skills such as team work, communication, reliability and more, lead to successful careers in our local companies. 

• Will host an In-Demand Summer Educator Bootcamp, where participants will tour 12 businesses providing in-demand career opportunities in our area. Then, the Bootcamp encourages and enables these educators to incorporate these experiences into their classrooms to share with their students.

The Mercer County BAC is coordinated by an established partnership between the Mercer County ESC, the Mercer County Community & Economic Development Office, Tri Star Career Compact and Wright State's Lake Campus. All Ohio school districts and Educational Service Centers are required to have a Business Advisory Council. And, all BAC's are required to submit a yearly plan outlining strategies and measured outcomes. The ongoing, intentional collaboration can result in a more responsive education system based on regional economic drivers and needs, more relevant learning experiences for students that include work-based learning opportunities, and enduring partnerships between schools and local industries.

Sandi Holdheide, Workforce & Career Navigator at the Mercer County ESC states, “This recognition honors the ongoing commitment Mercer County schools and businesses showcase in their nonstop dedication to ensuring our students see the career opportunities available in our region. Our BAC is blessed with schools and businesses that are excited to be involved in this work, and we are grateful for the ongoing collaborative efforts that are truly the foundation of this award.”

For more information about the Mercer County Educational Service Center Business Advisory Council, please visit our Business Advisory Council website or contact Sandi Holdheide, ESC Workforce & Career Navigator, at sandi.holdheide@mercercountyesc.org or 419-586-6628.

Attached Photo Caption (2025 BAC Award.JPG):

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce recognized the Mercer County Educational Service Center with a 2025 3-Star Award for Excellent Business Advisory Councils. Shown receiving the award are, from left, Paula VanTilburg, Assistant Director, Tri Star Career Compact; Jared Ebbing, Director, Mercer County Community/Economic Development Office; Sandi Holdheide, Workforce & Career Navigator, Mercer County ESC; Shelly Vaughn, Superintendent, Mercer County ESC; and, Tammy Eilerman, Director, Workforce Development & Business Enterprise Center, WSU-Lake Campus.