Shawnee State Launches ShawneeWORKS With Five Career Centers
The partnership expands dual credit and College Credit Plus across south-central Ohio to lower costs and speed credential completion.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Financial Aid
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Shawnee State University and five south-central Ohio career and technical centers have launched ShawneeWORKS, a partnership to build a talent pipeline for high school and adult learners. Students at the regional career technology centers can begin taking ShawneeWORKS benefits this year.
Why it matters
The partnership responds to demand for graduates with applied technical skills in southern Ohio. It aims to give students a clearer path from high school or adult training into two- and four-year applied technical degree programs.
ShawneeWORKS brings together Shawnee State University and five career and technical centers: Scioto County, Pike County, Pickaway-Ross, Buckeye Hills and Southern Hills. The announcement did not publish enrollment targets or projected dollar savings for students.
The players
Shawnee State University
A public university in Portsmouth, Ohio, offering applied technical and four-year degree programs in the Appalachian region.
The details
ShawneeWORKS expands dual credit and College Credit Plus between partner schools to lower educational costs. It also provides direct entry into the workforce for career technical center graduates and streamlines admissions into two- and four-year applied technical degree programs.
Timeline
2026: Students at regional career technology centers begin taking ShawneeWORKS benefits.
Season Trajectory
ShawneeWORKS builds on Ohio's College Credit Plus program, which lets high school students earn college credit, by extending that model into a regional partnership between a university and career centers. It positions south-central Ohio's career-technical graduates for applied technical degree programs rather than leaving them to navigate separate systems.
Students at Scioto, Pike, Pickaway-Ross, Buckeye Hills and Southern Hills career centers can begin using ShawneeWORKS credit options this year. Families may be able to reduce tuition costs by earning dual credit before enrolling in a degree program.
The takeaway
Students in south-central Ohio who want a technical career can use dual credit and a streamlined admissions path to reduce costs. Checking with a local career center about eligibility is a practical first step.
Further reading
For more on how students pay for these pathways, see Financial Aid coverage across Ohio.
More information
Learn more about eligibility and enrollment on the ShawneeWORKS program information page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Pike County News Watchman.
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