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The event featured the Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop, brought to Columbus as part of the organization’s 10th Anniversary Mobile Workshop Tour supported by Meta. Students rotated between the Mobile Workshop and COSI HIVE (Human Innovation Experience), exploring high-demand, high-wage careers and the technologies and skills those professions require.

Organized by OhioX, Ohio Tech Day is a statewide celebration designed to introduce students to careers in technology and innovation. The Columbus event followed the kickoff at Bowling Green State University earlier in the week and continued the programming leading into the statewide celebration on Friday, Sept. 25.

“Columbus has a long history of manufacturing, and today that tradition is evolving into a diverse, advanced-industry economy that needs skilled workers,” said Andrew Parker, executive director of Be Pro Be Proud. “Our Mobile Workshop allows students to experience these careers firsthand and learn about the skills they require, helping connect the next generation of workers with the employers and industries driving growth across central Ohio.”

Aboard the Mobile Workshop, interactive stations and Meta Quest virtual reality experiences introduced students to professions including electrician, HVAC technician, diesel technician, lineman, fiber-optic technician, commercial truck driver, heavy equipment operator and welder. The experience helped students connect the technology they explored with career pathways available to them.

The Columbus visit is one of 10 stops on Be Pro Be Proud’s national anniversary tour supported by Meta’s $500,000 investment. Together, Meta and Be Pro Be Proud have reached nearly 70,000 students since 2023, introducing young people to technical careers nationwide. The partnership includes virtual reality technology aboard Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshops and support for statewide Be Pro Be Proud initiatives in Tennessee, New Mexico and Texas.

“Strong communities and a connected economy rely on people with the technical skills to build and maintain the infrastructure we depend on,” said Tara Tenorio, community engagement manager at Meta. “As Meta grows its presence in communities across the country, we’re focused on helping students understand the range of career opportunities available in skilled fields. Our work with Be Pro Be Proud is helping connect students to in-demand careers while supporting the skilled talent that communities and businesses need for the future.”

Throughout Ohio Tech Day on Sept. 25, companies, schools and nonprofit organizations across Ohio are hosting field trips, classroom activities, demonstrations and other programs to help students explore careers in technology and innovation. To learn more, visit ohiotechday.org. For more information about Be Pro Be Proud, visit beprobeproud.org.

About Be Pro Be Proud

Be Pro Be Proud, Inc. is a nonprofit workforce development initiative originated by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas (AIA) that successfully connects students around the country to high-tech, high-paying technical careers. Through partnerships with state agencies, local industry and higher education entities, Be Pro Be Proud is effectively working to replenish the professional workforce that has been experiencing a drastic decline. The initiative was launched in Arkansas in 2016 and has since licensed efforts in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

About Ohio Tech Day

Ohio Tech Day is an annual statewide celebration of the people, companies and ideas that make Ohio tech possible. Designed to include and inspire Ohio’s next generation of technology and innovation leaders, it brings together companies, schools and nonprofit organizations for events and activities across the state. Ohio Tech Day is held on the final Friday of September, with the 2026 celebration taking place Friday, Sept. 25. Ohio Tech Day is organized by OhioX, a statewide nonprofit trade association working to build Ohio into a leading technology hub. For more information, visit ohiox.org or ohiotechday.org.

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