SALINEVILLE, Ohio – Utica Shale Academy Superintendent Bill Watson is building his network for creating successful students by participating in the Excellence in Education Executive Coaching (EC3) program.

Watson completed the program in September after attending an event with 19 others in Alabama. He also traveled to Wisconsin for a similar activity in July. It was delivered through the National Coalition of Certification Centers, a value-driven organization and future model for career and technical education. He became involved after attending an NC3 Leadership Summit last year where he earned a leadership award. Watson said NC3 has also been a longtime partner with Utica Shale Academy by providing certifications for the community school’s students.

“I was part of a group that’s toured and seen things throughout the state. I went to Alabama to see how the partnerships work. We toured facilities, met with collaborators, saw the how and why of the educational process and held roundtable talks.” he said. “Most of NC3’s certification is college-based, so it’s nice that our kids are getting the same certifications here as they are at The Ohio State University.”

Watson received a letter of recognition from cohort President Bryan Albrecht and NC3 Executive Director Roger Tadajewski, who served with the EC3 coaching team, stating that he successfully completed the program.

“This initiative creates highly skilled, job-ready professionals through a growing network of educational partners and global industry leaders,” the letter stated. “As a value-driven program, our focus remains on key initiatives that drive success for education, industry, the national workforce, and, most importantly, students.”

The letter said the goal of the EC3 program is to give proven leaders the opportunity to excel in their professional careers through three strategic directions: going beyond partnerships and establishing relationships; identifying positive personal actions and growth; and creating leadership trust and confidence through practice and experience.

“We commend you for your dedication to growth as a leader with a mission and thank you for your commitment to advancing education and workforce innovation,” the letter concluded.