With employers facing persistent skilled labor shortages, newly trained workers stepped into the spotlight Wednesday evening, graduating from Google’s Skilled Trades and Readiness (STAR) construction program delivered through NCUS TEC in Columbus.
On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, leaders from Google and NCUS TEC joined family members, community leaders, and workforce partners, including Saturn Construction, at Brick Studio East in Columbus to celebrate the graduation of the latest cohort of the STAR program.
Audience Members at the NCUS TEC and Google Star Graduation
“Since implementing this partnership three years ago, we have seen great success with the outcomes of the students who are completing this program,” said Perry Gregory, president of NCUS TEC. “We have a 100% graduation rate. 95% of these individuals are getting placed in high-growth careers earning over $30 an hour, but most importantly, they are staying in these careers.”
The ceremony marked the sixth cohort to complete the Ohio-based STAR program and underscored the ongoing partnership between NCUS TEC and Google’s Global Economic Development team. Graduates who participate in the program receive training in fiber splicing, cable installation, and other field-ready technical skills that lead directly to employment.
Utaukwa Allen, Google’s Global Head of Economic and Community Development, who leads the STAR program, was the keynote speaker at the graduation.
“It’s about having great leadership. NCUS TEC has great leadership,” said Utaukwa Allen, Google’s Global Head of Economic and Community Development. “They understand how to have wraparound and holistic support for communities.”
Allen emphasized that NCUS TEC’s leadership has demonstrated the ability to deliver results effectively, making the organization a strong model as Google expands its workforce development investments nationally. As a result, NCUS TEC and Google’s partnership is expanding beyond Ohio to Norman, Oklahoma, and Phoenix, Arizona, positioning the collaboration as a national model for workforce development in fiber.
Earlier that day, Allen and members of Google’s Global Economic Development team visited NCUS TEC’s Workforce Hub, touring the organization’s fiber, data, manufacturing, and construction labs.
Pictured above, Utaukwa Allen, Google’s Global Head of Economic and Community Development, meeting Perry Gregory, NCUS TEC President, before a tour of the campus.
The STAR program is part of Google’s broader economic and community development strategy to strengthen workforce pipelines in the regions where the company operates.
Although Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel was unable to make the event, he provided a letter of celebration.
“You should be proud of the commitment, curiosity, and discipline you’ve demonstrated throughout this journey, said Lieutenant Governor Tressel. “The skills you’ve developed are essentials of Ohio’s workforce, and by completing this program, wish for yourself meaningful opportunities and long-term success.”
Since 2023, program graduates trained through NCUS TEC have achieved a 90 percent placement rate in training-related jobs, with wages ranging from $35 to $65 per hour.
“We’re providing livable wages to students who pass this class and get placed in jobs,” said Kristen Muenster, Vice President of NCUS TEC. “They’re able to provide for their kids and feel a sense of calm, where they’re not having to worry about money.”
“With the certification I earned with NCUS, I will gain a balanced life, a best future, and more stability,” said Amine Roumili, one of the graduates. “I would recommend it to all the people that I know and to my friends to join NCUS TEC.”
Over the past two years, Google has invested more than $525,000 to support workforce training and talent pipeline development through NCUS TEC, signaling long-term growth potential for the partnership.
