Ohio TechCred

A: Yes, in-person courses that take place outside the state of Ohio are eligible for TechCred as long as the employee taking the course is an Ohio resident. The state of Ohio will verify that employees are Ohio residents even if the course takes place outside of the state. TechCred does not reimburse the cost of travel and lodging.

A: ACerS On-Demand courses are eligible because you can apply to get a course added during an open grant window, and once it is approved, then your employee can register for the course and complete it within 12 months from the date of approval. You must still apply for reimbursement six weeks after the course is completed by your employee.

A: All ACerS courses are less than $2,000, which means that they are eligible for reimbursement through Ohio TechCred if approved.

A: No, only companies are eligible to apply for TechCred reimbursements, not individuals.

A: No. The maximum reimbursement for an individual employee per course and per grant period is up to $2,000. The reimbursement will only apply to the cost of the course itself, and this includes after any discounts are applied. Items related to the course such as textbooks or software can count toward the cost of the course and are eligible for reimbursement.

A: No, you cannot receive a reimbursement for a course you’ve completed in the past; however, you can apply for TechCred to add a course before it takes place. There is no guarantee that it will be approved, and the course must take place no earlier than one month before the next open grant window closes.

A: Yes, you must always reapply for each course, for each individual employee, during an open grant window regardless of how many times you have applied for a course in the past.

A: Yes, Ohio TechCred has a reporting process for organizations that receive reimbursement for their employee’s courses. Updates are required every four months and can be submitted on the Ohio TechCred website. Please check your specific contract for any additional reporting guidelines, as they can vary by each approved course.

A: You must have a payee ID number, an Ohio Secretary of State charter/entity number, and a federal tax ID number in order to submit an application to Ohio TechCred. Additionally, you will be asked to submit payroll/W-2 information, tax information, and employee verification information, among other supporting documents. Please note that each organization may only have one representative and account through Ohio TechCred, so it is recommended that this person has access to all of the supporting documents required for the program and the bandwidth to manage it.

A: “Credential” refers to certificates and certifications. An ACerS course can be considered a credential, and an ACerS certificate can also be considered a credential. Your employees can use TechCred to take courses that build toward an ACerS certificate. Learn more about ACerS and Orton certificates here.

A: Eligibility requirements for credentials include:

• They must be industry-recognized.
• They must be technology-focused (as defined below).
• They must be short-term. Credentials must be certificates or certifications able to be completed in less than 12 months or in programs that are fewer than 900 clock hours or thirty (30) credit hours.

Technology credentials demonstrate the competencies necessary to succeed in an occupation that utilizes technology to develop, build, and deliver products and services.

Technology credentials rely on science, technology, engineering and/or math related education, as well as technical skills, to benefit an employer dependent on the development, deployment and investment in new and emerging technology, including software development, advanced manufacturing, data analytics, cybersecurity, computer hardware and design, military applications and other emerging fields.

Credentials on the approved list have been recommended by the Technology Review of Educational Credentials (TECHREC) panel of experts and approved by the Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education.