THE CRAFT learn

BY DOUGLAS TRATTNER

At last count, Ohio clocked in with more than 430 craft breweries, which means that demand for skilled employees has never been higher. Fortunately, there are educational programs around the state that will appeal to homebrew enthusiasts on up to ambitious entrepreneurs with goals of starting a brewery.

PProgram administrators at Cincinnati State and Hocking College are reaching out to high schools, community colleges, adult learners and career changers in hopes of spreading the word about their offerings. Gone are the days when all it took was a little homebrew knowhow to succeed in this highly competitive and technical profession.

Cincinnati State offers a lean certificate program, but the school’s main focus is its two-year associate degree in Brewing Science. Program chair Caleb Ochs-Naderer says that the demand for skilled employees has not waned, despite a maturing marketplace.

“The longer that these craft breweries are around, the more professional they want to be,” Ochs-Naderer explains. “We might be getting to a point where we’re set with the number of breweries that we have, but if we can keep raising the level of quality and understanding about beer, then we can keep making better beer throughout.”

Ochs-Naderer says that many students are already working in the field when they begin the program, but if not, they will be by the second semester as part of the internship requirements.

“We really try and give people a solid foundation so that once they are done with this program, they are going to be able to go into the brewing industry with no problem,” he says. “The hope is that they’ll be more educated than most people.”

Hocking College in Nelsonville offers an associate degree in Fermentation Science that covers brewing, distilling and, soon, winemaking. The school recently invested in new infrastructure and equipment with the goal of providing hands-on training that will all but guarantee future employment.

“Our first graduates work at breweries around the state and are well on their way to starting their career,” says Eric Hedin, specialist with the Fermentation Science program. “There are so many jobs in the craft beverage industry — and we’re a great place to get your foot in the door with training and education on all types of alcoholic beverages.”

Those that are confident in their existing skills and ready to join the brewing industry workforce are in luck too. OCBA’s job board is regularly updated with various positions at breweries and facilities around the state. Keep up with the latest postings at ohiocraftbeer.org/jobs.