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The Columbiana County Career and Technical Center (CCCTC) has been a beacon of career and technical education for students of Columbiana County since its inception in 1977.
Four years ago, the pandemic forced a change in how we did things, and we were fortunate to have local newspapers willing to assist us in getting the word out to county students and families about our programs through a series of monthly articles.
While things have returned to normal, this new normal allowed the CCCTC to usher in some significant changes during the last four years. The building has had major renovations to align the lab settings with the industries in the community that are being served and to provide the students with the 21st skills they need by learning with cutting-edge technology and equipment.
Along with renovations, a new program has been added and several new lab instructors have joined the staff. Friendly and familiar faces people have known for years have been replaced with new friendly faces due to staff members meeting the service year and age requirements for retirement.
So, during the remainder of the school year, the changes that have occurred at the CCCTC will be highlighted to keep the community informed about the state of career and technical education in their county.
Current sophomore students who are interested in enrolling in a program for the 2025-26 school year are invited to do so by visiting the CCCTC's webpage (https://www.ccctc.k12.oh.us) and completing the enrollment application which will be available starting January 1, 2025. Any questions about the programs or the requirements for enrollment should be directed to Sue Allison, guidance administrator, at (330) 424-9561 ext. 118 or sue.allison@ccctc.k12.oh.us.
The subject of the December spotlight is a new program that debuted in the fall of 2024. Criminal Justice (CJ) is the newest offering for high school students at the CCCTC. The need for this program in Columbiana County was evident when the program filled to capacity by March of 2024, five months before the class was even scheduled to start.
It quickly became a student favorite which is in large part due to the need for workers in the fields of criminal justice as well as the new instructor who brings a depth of life experience to the position. The many benefits of the program to students as well as the credentials that can be earned and articulation agreement available are some of the reasons for its popularity.
Benefits of Being a
Student in the Program
The Criminal Justice program gives the students hands on experiences and opportunities across multiple avenues in the fields that criminal justice envelopes.
Students enrolled in the Criminal Justice program are prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation as 911 dispatchers, corrections officers, unarmed security guards, and retail loss prevention employees. The coursework also establishes a foundation in many other criminal justice careers that require additional training or schooling, such as police officer, deputy sheriff, probation officer, attorney, FBI, BCI, and forensics. Students will study many different criminal justice topics, including the court system, laws, traffic procedures, report writing, evidence collection, investigation techniques, 911 dispatching, self-defense, and other scenario-based law enforcement training.
Credentials and Articulation
Agreements for the Program
Career-Technical Education not only prepares students for the workforce, but also allows them to start on their post-secondary path. Students who put effort into learning will leave the CCCTC with the credentials they need to successfully enter straight into the workforce. All students enrolled in the CCCTC's Criminal Justice program become certified in CPR/First Aid and OSHA. Students also have the opportunity to earn National Incident Management System (NIMS) 100, 200, and 800 Certifications, ASP Baton Certification, and NECC Level 1 Telecommunicator, which would allow students to go directly into the field as a 911 Dispatcher. Another benefit to students is that the Criminal Justice program has an articulation agreement with Youngstown State University. Students who successfully complete the course and meet the eligibility for college credit will receive credit at YSU for the 3 hour course, CRJS 1500 Introduction to Criminal Justice. Essentially, they receive credit for the class for free and start college with some of the required coursework already completed giving them a head start over students who did not complete a career and technical program in Criminal Justice. There are options for providing students opportunities to earn accelerated and dual enrollment credit: Career-Tech Assurance Guides (CTAG), bilateral agreements and College Credit Plus. The criminal justice course at the CCCTC would be the CTAG pathway. CTAGs provide free direct college transcript credit for the associated equivalent college course at any in-state, public university upon matriculation.
Student Spotlight
An exemplary student for the CJ program is Carson Roller. This is a great honor for Carson because Mr. Beadnell has so many excellent students enrolled in this first year program that he had a difficult time choosing just one. Since this is the first year of the program, only juniors are enrolled. Carson is a junior from United Local High School. Carson holds a leadership position as he serves as the class lieutenant. What made Carson stand out is that he always has a positive attitude and exhibits a strong work ethic. Engaging in class discussions is so important in all of the career and technical fields because discussion and collaboration helps students become adults who contribute well and can work will with others in their field when they enter the workforce. Carson's eagerness to engage and respectfully listen to others means he has a leg up when it comes to seeking employment. All of these qualities make Carson a great role model for other students.
Instructor Spotlight
Instructor Damin Beadnell has served the public as a police officer for almost 10 years. A graduate of Southern Local High School, Damin knew that he wanted to pursue employment in the field of criminal justice.
He started out attending college and playing golf, but then transferred to Eastern Gateway Community College where he attended and graduated from the police academy. He began his career in law enforcement as a park ranger for Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District before becoming a Deputy Sheriff and Corrections Officer for the Carroll County Sheriff's Office.
He then became a police officer for Perry Township Police Department before becoming a Deputy Sheriff for the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office where he still maintains his status as a commissioned deputy. While working at the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office, he was a K-9 officer and worked with K-9 Hunter. He is currently a member of the Columbiana County Special Response team and has been a member of this team for five years. When the new position for a Criminal Justice instructor at the CCCTC was posted, Mr. Beadnell decided to make the transition into teaching because through his years working in the field, he saw a great need for trained officers and dispatchers. He was well aware that the police academies have low numbers and police departments are struggling to find officers. He also realized that agencies with dispatch centers also have low numbers and are struggling to find dispatchers as well. He went into teaching so that he can help evoke a change by getting students interested in the field of criminal justice and preparing them for those careers. By him increasing interest in the field, it mutually benefits both students and the industry.
"Assistant Instructor" Spotlight
Mr. Beadnell is very fortunate to have his very own assistant instructor, his retired K-9 Hunter. Hunter was born in 2018 and began his career with the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office. Hunter is now retired but had a very decorated career as a K-9. He was a dual purpose K-9 which means he was certified in many areas and had many jobs to do. He was certified in narcotics detection, area searches, building searches, article searches, tracking, and apprehension. Thanks to Hunter, copious amounts of drugs and suspects were taken off the streets in Columbiana County making it a safer place to live. Hunter spends his days at the CCCTC with Mr. Beadnell helping students learn. The students are fortunate to have such a unique opportunity to learn about the professions within the criminal justice field, but even more fortunate that they get hands-on opportunities to learn about K-9 police work as well.
CCCTC's Criminal Justice
Program Benefits Local Industry
Local agencies will benefit from our criminal justice program because it will give students foundational knowledge of law enforcement, legal processes, and public safety, which will give the agencies more individuals to choose from when hiring. Local agencies can partner with our program for internships, mentorship, and hands-on training, and agencies can evaluate potential recruits while helping students gain practical experience. Additionally, these programs build positive community relations and enhance public safety awareness, which ultimately supports the goals of local criminal justice agencies.
Any student who is interested in enrolling in the Criminal Justice program should complete the online application as soon as it opens in January. As mentioned earlier, this program has already gained great popularity and will fill up, so don't delay on enrolling.
Any questions about the programs can be directed to Sue Allison at extension 118 (sue.allison@ccctc.k12.oh.us) or Michelle Fitzsimmons at extension 158 (michelle.fitzsimmons@ccctc.k12.oh.us) at the Columbiana County Career and Technical Center