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TALENT PIPELINE
BUILDING A
Ohio could be the Silicon Heartland — and it will be home of the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing site within the next decade. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger says the Buckeye State has the talent, infrastructure and economic climate to support the $20-billion megaproject in Licking County.
“It’s the largest economic development project in the history of the state of Ohio,” says Rachel Johanson, deputy director at the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation.
The project will generate more than 20,000 jobs, from 3,000 Intel positions to 7,000 jobs during construction. Overall, the project is expected to add $2.8 billion to the state’s annual gross state product, according to JobsOhio.
“It’s interesting because the workforce needs outlined by Intel are not that surprising and are initiatives Ohio has been investing in for a long time,” Johanson points out. “Those include in-demand jobs like technicians, engineers and other STEM careers that the Choose Ohio First Program has focused on for the last 14 years.”
In many ways, Ohio has been building up for a landmark company arrival like this, and a variety of interconnected programs to fund the jobs of the future are helping create promising career paths for students while supplying businesses’ workforce needs.
For students and workers, this means access to scholarships, grants and other resources that can help them secure the education, credentials and additional skills needed to succeed in a constantly evolving employment landscape.
A MULTIFACETED APPROACH
Students can begin working toward pursuing in-demand careers, such as those in STEM fields, before ever leaving high school by way of College Credit Plus (see page 6 for more information). The dual-enrollment program allows high school
TALENT PIPELINE
Ohio’s approach to workforce development connects students with the in-demand fields of the present and future, helping ensure the state has the educated workers that businesses need to thrive. BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE
students to earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking courses from Ohio colleges and universities.
“Students can get connected right away to important avenues for lucrative employment moving forward,” explains Cheryl Rice, vice chancellor, higher education workforce alignment for the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
Other efforts aim to make a more immediate difference in boosting workforce needs. For fiscal year 2023, the state is providing $3.5 million to community colleges and Ohio technical centers to fund scholarships for students seeing in-demand certifications.
The state’s TechCred program (see page 15 for more information) supports employers by providing funding they can use to help their employees learn new and needed skills. Workers benefit from the program by building more expertise.
Through this holistic approach to workforce development, the state has deployed its resources in a way that helps workers land jobs that pay well and attracts more industry. It’s a cycle of success: Grow talent, draw in businesses, upskill workers, fuel economic growth.
“We have seen estimates that Ohio needs about 107,000 people to work in the broadband 5G deployment industry over the next few years,” Johanson says. “Looking at our workforce, we formed an industry sector partnership around broadband, so we can focus on what exact training we will need to get and where in the state.”
In the case of Intel, the tech giant plans to invest around $100 million in partnership with Ohio universities, community colleges and the U.S. National Science Foundation to develop the skilled talent it will need in Ohio. This will fund everything from collaborative research projects to creating
curricula for associate and undergraduate degree programs.
The Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Choose Ohio First program also provides support for Intel’s workforce needs. During the last round of funding, the state invested $43 million with 44 Ohio institutions to reinforce these specific courses and academic programs, according to Rice. The initiative also encourages colleges and universities to seek student diversity in their STEM programs and forge connections between those studying these fields and the business sector.
IN-DEMAND JOBS
The state is actively involved in attracting workers for in-demand jobs, which currently range from educators to CDL truck drivers. To help draw people to these fields, the state earmarked $2.5 million for 30 schools where students can earn a Commercial Driver’s License and $5.2 million to address the educator workforce shortage.
The state’s programs are designed to provide a link between the education and business worlds, and these collaborations are even more important now given the historically low unemployment rate in Ohio, and the fact that businesses are really trying to find workers.
“We just launched our CDL program, which allows individuals interested in getting a CDL to be recruited by companies across the state that have been approved by the Department of Public Safety and chancellor [of the Ohio Department of Higher Education],” Rice says.
The program has scholarship and loan components. For example, if a CDL program costs $6,000, the student is eligible for a $3,000 grant and a $3,000 loan.
The teacher scholarship program was awarded to 29 public and independent colleges with educator-preparation programs approved by the chancellor.
“These will help address immediate needs and it targets a population that could enter the teaching profession within one to two years,” Rice says. “We are hoping this spurs teachers to finish [their education] or encourages students to select the field so we can increase the pipeline of licensed schoolteachers in the state.”
Students can also check for jobs that are in demand at the state’s Top Jobs List directory online. What makes a job in-demand? It must have a salary of 80% of the state median wage and annual job growth that is higher than the statewide average or annual job openings higher than the statewide average. The Ohio Top Jobs list is customizable by region and industry as well as education level needed. Search the list at topjobs.ohio.gov.
Ohio’s In-Demand Jobs
The Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation offers a searchable and sortable online database of the state’s in-demand professions at topjobs.ohio.gov. Here were some of the current in-demand jobs with the highest median salaries requiring a bachelor's degree, associate degree or postsecondary training as of May 18, 2022.
Bachelor's Degree
• Architectural and Engineering Managers • Computer and Information Systems Managers • Marketing Managers • Financial Managers • Sales Managers • Natural Sciences Managers • Human Resources Managers • Aerospace Engineers • Computer Network Architects • Industrial Production Managers
Associate Degree
• Dental Hygienists • Diagnostic Medical Sonographers • Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technicians • Radio Mechanics • Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technician • Web Developers • Occupational Therapist Assistants • Physical Therapist Assistants • Computer Network Support Specialists • Respiratory Therapists
Post-Secondary, Non-Degree
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation and Relay • Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians • Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other • Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers (Except Line Installers) • Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment • Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage • Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers • Firefighters • Tool and Die Makers • Heating, AC and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
