TOLEDO, Ohio, February 12, 2026 — SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, is expanding its partnership with Toledo Technology Academy (TTA), creating an applied learning experience that connects emerging technical talent directly to the demands of contemporary engineering and design work.
Sustaining the region’s ability to deliver complex, technology‑driven projects requires a workforce prepared for the pace and precision of modern industry. The newly expanded partnership will reinforce SSOE’s long-standing commitment to applied STEM education as a cornerstone of a strong and resilient regional economy.
Through this partnership, two students from TTA’s CAD and Automation / Controls programs will complete their spring semester within SSOE’s headquarters, replacing their traditional lab requirement with immersive, hands-on experience inside a global AEC practice. Working alongside project teams, students will gain firsthand exposure to modern modeling tools, integrated project delivery environments, and the interdisciplinary collaboration required to support manufacturing, technology, and advanced facility projects across today’s built environment. At the conclusion of the program, students will deliver a capstone presentation to their cohort, returning practical insight back into the academy—a milestone SSOE leadership has been invited to attend.
“Clients across every market sector are navigating rapid advancement. To support them, we must help cultivate a workforce that’s ready for the challenges of tomorrow,” said Vince DiPofi, CEO of SSOE Group. “Partnerships like this ensure students gain the industry context, embedded problem‑solving, and modern technical literacy that translate directly into client value.”
In October, SSOE leaders Mechanical Design Department Manager David Rizo, Controls Practice Group Leader Ryan Beat, and Director of Talent Acquisition Mike Alek visited TTA to assess student capabilities and align the internship experience with the technical competencies most essential to project delivery. The intention is to connect emerging talent to the realities of industry practice, bridging the gap between classroom instruction and the expectations of contemporary engineering roles. When education aligns with how work is actually executed, students gain clarity, confidence, and relevance. That alignment strengthens not only their trajectory, but the region’s ability to sustain a capable, competitive, future-ready workforce.
The partnership broadens SSOE’s ongoing collaboration with Toledo Public Schools, including its engagement with Hawkins STEMM Academy, which serves elementary and middle school students and feeds into Toledo Technology Academy at the high school level, as well as previous apprenticeship initiatives at TTA. Together, these efforts form a connected talent pathway: early exposure, technical training, applied experience, and ultimately professional practice. This continuum helps strengthen the region’s economic vitality and expand opportunities for local students to contribute to high-impact careers.
“As the leader of Toledo Technology Academy of Engineering, the area’s highest rated school preparing students specifically for careers in Engineering and Technology, I am thrilled to partner with SSOE, one of the
area’s best and largest employers of engineers, to showcase to our students what careers in engineering truly look like on a day-to-day basis,” said Bryan Bosch, Senior Director of Toledo Technology Academy of Engineering. “The opportunity to work in an industry-leading, global engineering workplace that has been provided to these two students, and other students in the future, will further support our mission of preparing students for careers in engineering and we are excited to continue to grow our partnership with the support that SSOE has and will continue to provide Toledo Technology Academy of Engineering.”
In addition to its work in Northwest Ohio, SSOE is extending this talent development model to other regions where technical capacity directly supports client needs. This spring, the firm will also welcome high school interns into its Portland, Oregon office—SSOE’s second largest location and the center of its Advanced Technology practice. By introducing students to the environments that support some of the most sophisticated manufacturing and technology projects in the country, SSOE is reinforcing workforce pipelines in markets where industry growth depends on a steady supply of skilled, ready-made talent.
SSOE’s continued investment in education partnerships reflects its broader commitment to developing future talent, strengthening the communities it serves, and ensuring clients are supported by teams equipped for the demands of a rapidly evolving project landscape.