Ivy Tech expands as unemployed move into orthopedics trade

By Ed Ernstes (ernstes@wsbt.com)

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Ivy Tech's Warsaw campus is seeing a boom in unemployed workers going back to school to learn skills in the orthopedics trade. (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Apr 16, 2009 at 3:38 PM EST

Story Updated: Apr 19, 2009 at 10:50 PM EST

WARSAW — It was once the RV capital of the world. But many of Elkhart County’s laid-off workers are now turning to the orthopedics capital for a new future. That's meant a big boom and a big expansion at Ivy Tech in Warsaw.

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Thursday morning Ivy Tech dedicated a new, expanded 20,000-square foot facility at the Warsaw campus, a state-of-the-art facility designed to teach students the skills needed in the growing orthopedic field.

“I heard about the opportunity to advance my skills and the possibility of going into a different field and took advantage of that opportunity,” said Shane Albright of Nappanee.

Shane lost his job last year at Monaco RV.

“This community will need this type of advanced manufacturing training, as long as the orthopedic industry is alive and well, and it looks like it has a good healthy future ahead of it,” said Randy Maxson of the Ivy Tech Warsaw campus.

Paragon Medical is a first tier supplier to the orthopedic trade.

“It’s difficult to get into that industry without prior experience and Ivy Tech has a great training now for them to get some of that skill set,” said Carla Nussbaum of Paragon Medical.

A good number of the students taking advantage of this training program lost their jobs in either the automotive industry or RV trade as a result of a downturn in the economy.

Jim Rogers, of North Manchester, lost his job involving the auto industry.

“They're teaching me a new trade,” Rogers explained. “I'm trying to learn how to get into the orthopedic industry actually, mill and lathe.”

“I know right now there are a couple of places shutting down because of the recession and everything, but you know everybody's going to need new hips and stuff like that,” said Mary Fox of Columbia City.

Back in 2006, Ivy Tech opened a 5,000 square foot facility in Warsaw to teach skills in the orthopedic trade. They soon developed a waiting list of 140 students, and opted to build a larger building to meet the growing demand.

Join us every Thursday at 6 p.m. as we introduce you to someone coping with unemployment. Here on WSBT.com you can read their stories, plus find resources to help you and your family, friends or neighbors.

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