Recognizing Ohio’s Approach to Building Manufacturing Talent

In an editorial in IndustryWeek, Dr. Ethan Karp, president and CEO of Northeast Ohio’s MEP MAGNET, this week shared his perspectives on closing the talent gap in manufacturing — a gap he says will remain even after the surge of COVID-19-related unemployment.

Karp writes: “Sadly, our talent pipeline is broken.” The only way to address the complex problems behind manufacturing’s workforce woes is for companies, communities and leaders to work together, Karp says.

He points to the OMA’s efforts to support a statewide system of manufacturing sector partnerships, which are “led by people who know the industry best: local manufacturing leaders.” Sector partnerships, he says, “set the agenda and drive the solutions” since “everyone needed to make change is at the table.” 4/7/2020