In mid-December, Gov. Kasich gave the thumbs up to a number of recommendations issued by his Executive Workforce Board. Kasich said that he does not want these “hanging on a shelf sitting around” and plans to implement many of the recommendations through rulemaking or through the upcoming biennial budget.
Forming a coalition of businesses…
The governor also acknowledged that other key recommendations would not require any legislative approval at all. For instance, the overarching recommendation which calls for more collaboration between schools and business can be achieved by merely bringing together chambers of commerce, economic development groups, JobsOhio, technical centers and K-12 schools. Gov. Kasich specifically named Marietta as having proven success in “aligning the needs of business with the skills that learners need to develop,” and he challenged others around the state to duplicate their model.
Creating an “In Demand Jobs Week”…
Another noteworthy recommendation is the creation of an annual “In Demand Jobs Week”. Additional details have yet to be determined, however, the essence is to raise awareness of in-demand job openings as well as the job requirements and benefits offered. The goal of such a week is to encourage students to follow their unique passions and interests while at the same time attempting to couple those passions and interests with in-demand jobs that will be available upon high school or college graduation.
Other recommendations from the December 13th Executive Workforce Board meeting include providing externships for teachers, rebranding Ohio’s libraries as “continuous learning centers” that would serve as local hubs for information about in-demand jobs and requiring the Ohio Department of Education to develop an “OhioMeansJobsReady Certificate” for high school students that have demonstrated their work readiness in certain competencies.
I want to hear from you…
Which, if any, of the Executive Workforce Board recommendations, would you consider a priority for your business? If none of the aforementioned recommendations are a priority, do you have any that you would suggest? Email me or comment below.
Committee goals…
In 2017 the Ohio Chamber’s Education and Workforce Development Committee hopes to address various topics related to helping Ohio employers gain access to the most talented and skilled candidates. If you would like to participate in this committee, please let me know and I will add you.