A petition to Governor-elect Amy Acton

Build Ohio Futures

Help bring hands-on manufacturing and skilled-trades education back to Ohio public schools.

  • ✓  Hands-on shop classes and technical education
  • ✓  Real paid work experience for students
  • ✓  Manufacturers partnering with schools

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Be among the first Ohioans to sign.

What happened in Ohio

On November 6, 2026, the Ohio Manufacturers' Association welcomed Governor-elect Amy Acton and Lieutenant Governor-elect David Pepper following the election, saying it looked forward to working with the incoming administration to strengthen Ohio's manufacturing economy. The association's statement documents its own post-election message and manufacturing-sector priority. It does not establish a new state policy or suggest that the petition influenced the transition.

What we are asking

We urge Governor-elect Amy Acton and the incoming administration to bring manufacturing and skilled-trades education back to Ohio public schools, working with school districts, educators, manufacturers, and the Legislature to:

1

Increase career awareness so students and families understand manufacturing and skilled trades as valuable career options.

2

Restore and expand modern shop classes and hands-on technical education where access is missing or limited.

3

Expand opportunities for students to earn school credit through supervised, age-appropriate employment and on-the-job training, including paid opportunities.

4

Give schools the resources to deliver these programs, including equipment, qualified instructors, transportation, and shared technical facilities serving multiple schools where appropriate.

5

Create or expand incentives for manufacturers to partner with schools, host student learning experiences, and provide training.

6

Encourage and incentivize donations of funding, usable equipment, materials, and expertise to support school manufacturing and trades programs.

Why it matters

Build Ohio Futures is a petition from the American Manufacturing Association. We urge Governor-elect Amy Acton and the incoming administration to bring manufacturing and skilled-trades education back to Ohio public schools.

Real careers

Manufacturing and skilled trades offer rewarding careers that build things people use every day.

A path for students

Hands-on learning helps students discover what they are good at, and it gives them a path to a steady job after high school.

Stronger together

When schools, manufacturers, and communities work together, more students can see these careers as real options for their future.

Who we are

The American Manufacturing Association (AMFGA), based in Frisco, Texas, connects manufacturers, educators, and community members to strengthen manufacturing and skilled-trades careers. We organize this petition as an educational public-benefit initiative, and it is not a political campaign.

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American Manufacturing Association, Frisco, Texas