Four years is a long time. Especially when you consider waiting four years to earn a degree that may or may not secure you a job in your field of study.

For many students right out of high school, as well as many adults looking to change career paths, four-year universities are not the best option.

Many of these people have families to support and those obligations can’t be put on hold in the time it takes to earn a traditional degree.

And that emphasis on four-year universities has left a shortage in skilled laborers all over the United States.

That’s why Lawrence County is lucky to be home to the welding program of the Ohio Strategic Center headquartered at the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation.

Having a site where people can learn welding is vital to our county, especially when taking into account the local businesses that employ those kinds of laborers — Engines Inc., McGinnis Inc., Superior Marine Inc. and Liebert Inc.

In order to keep welding and other trade jobs in our country, we must offer facilities in which people can learn those skills.

It seems the Ohio Strategic Center is doing just that.