WARREN, Ohio – Trumbull Career & Technical Center students are getting a new equestrian center this school year, with an expansion of workforce development services planned for 2026.

Morgan Tondo Cretella, TCTC community engagement coordinator, says the old equestrian facility wasn’t designed as a horse stable and lacked classroom space, heat and restrooms.

“In response, construction on a state-of-the-art equestrian center is now in the final stages, with the new facility ready for occupancy,” she says.

The school will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 24 during its annual community night. The annual horse show, postponed last year, will return May 3.

TCTC also has been selected to receive an Appalachian Community Innovation Centers grant. The funding will support the expansion of TCTC’s educational, workforce development and mental health services to better serve its member districts, regional industries and the community.

TCTC responded to demand from manufacturers for more skilled workers with the launch of a new industrial technology program during the 2024-25 school year. The new program will be relocated to an area within a 15,000-square-foot expansion that will also include space for industrial training, workforce development and career exploration, classrooms, mental health services and common areas, Cretella says.

“As part of this expansion, TCTC will increase its mental health services, offering year-round support to students and the public,” she says. “In partnership with Cadence Care, TCTC will expand its onsite counseling team by adding therapists, behavioral care specialists and a psychiatric nurse practitioner.”

The school will also collaborate with Trumbull County Ohio Means Jobs to provide career readiness programs, job search support and eligibility screening for work-based learning opportunities.

“This facility expansion, slated to launch in fall of 2026, is a key step in meeting the needs of K-12 students, local industries and the community,” Cretella says. “The project will expand TCTC’s offerings in high-demand fields.”

According to JobsEQ, health care is the top industry in Trumbull County, with manufacturing third, which is a critical focus of this expansion, she says. TCTC serves 20 member districts, with a student population of more than 12,000.

“Currently, TCTC enrolls 1,032 students, with plans to increase enrollment by 100 students through the new industrial technology program,” Cretella says.

“Additionally, a proposed mental health program is expected to add 50 seats, boosting enrollment by 14.5% by 2026,” she says.

The capital investment will be enhanced by additional staff and greater career exploration opportunities for elementary and middle school students and the community.

Pictured: Trumbull County Courthouse in Warren. Jack W. Pearce, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.