Workforce Management

Are You Ready for New Round of TechCred?

Are you prepared to submit your application for the next round of Ohio TechCred, starting Jan. 4? This popular program reimburses employers up to $2,000 per employee (up to $30,000 total per employer per round) to upskill employees who earn technology-focused credentials. Manufacturers have been extremely successful in their approval rates during the first six rounds of the program.

See the OMA’s one-pager for more details on the January funding round. Also, Fastlane — the Manufacturing Extension Partnership center for west central Ohio — will host a Jan. 5 webinar titled “How to Leverage TechCred.” 12/21/2020

Incentives for Hiring Interns With Exporting Experience

The Ohio Export Internship Program places students who have completed export-focused coursework with businesses seeking to boost their sales to foreign customers. Participating businesses receive a 50% reimbursement for intern wages (up to $3,600). Companies can apply now for summer 2021 interns.

Learn more here, or email Wendi Howell at the Ohio Development Services Agency, or call (614) 466-6811. 12/21/2020

Ohio Sees Improved Unemployment Numbers in November, but Manufacturers Trim 2,000 Jobs

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has announced that Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.7% in November — down from a revised 6.1% in October — as employers added 29,400 jobs over the month. This compares to the U.S. unemployment rate of 6.7% for November.

Ohio’s employment in goods-producing industries, at 894,200, decreased by 900 over the month, as losses in manufacturing (-2,000) outpaced gains in construction (+1,000) and mining and logging (+100). From November 2019 to November 2020, Ohio manufacturing has lost 30,000 jobs with losses in durable goods (-34,400) outweighing gains in non-durable goods (+4,400). 12/18/2020

Fulton County Set to Begin Manufacturing Pilot Program

In Fulton County, a pilot program designed to prepare high school students for manufacturing careers will be launched Jan. 4 at Delta High School. It will permit students to earn an industry-recognized credential seal and the OhioMeansJobs seal for their diploma. Read about this initiative. 12/14/2020

Study: Why Younger Men Drop Out of the Workforce

The labor force participation rate of American men has been mostly falling since the late 1960s. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics this month published findings from a recent study examining common traits of men ages 30-36 who have dropped out of the workforce.

A large percentage of non-workers responded that incarceration had limited their ability to work. More than 20% reported they had been incarcerated in the previous 12 months, and more than 36% said they had been incarcerated at some point in their lives.

Formerly incarcerated individuals are a key focus of the OMA’s scaling apprenticeship grant outreach efforts. Members who are interested in expanding their manufacturing talent pools — including from non-traditional populations — should reach out to the OMA’s Sara Tracey. 12/14/2020

Northeast Ohio’s MAGNET Offers Glimpse at Future

Here’s positive news out of Cleveland: MAGNET — an industry consulting group and Northeast Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) — is converting a former school building into its new headquarters. According to reports, the $10 million redevelopment project will bring vital hands-on learning opportunities to career-ready students.

Located in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood, the facility will represent the future of manufacturing, MAGNET officials say. MAGNET president and CEO Ethan Karp sees “a high-tech ecosystem where community partners recruit manufacturers, who in turn hire residents into sustainable career opportunities.” 12/15/2020

New TechCred Application Period Opens Jan. 4

It’s time to ensure your workforce is prepared for the post-pandemic economy. To assist with this effort, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has announced the seventh round of Ohio TechCred applications will open Jan. 4.

This popular program reimburses employers up to $2,000 per employee (up to $30,000 total per employer per round) to upskill employees who earn technology-focused credentials.

Manufacturing is a key industry focus of TechCred. At last check, manufacturers accounted for more than half of approved applications.

Businesses with employees who have completed their TechCred training are reminded to submit proof of credential completion to receive reimbursement. See the OMA’s one-pager for more details on the January funding round. 12/7/2020

$1,500 Incentive to Hire High School Interns

The Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is providing a financial incentive to manufacturers to hire high school interns. The MEP high school internship program reimburses employers 50% of intern wages — up to $1,500 per student. Manufacturers that host interns between now and Sept. 30, 2021 are eligible. Learn more. 12/8/2020

A Look at U.S. Manufacturing Jobs, Workforce Trends

Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers, this week provided the following manufacturing-specific updates based on recent federal data:

• Nationwide, there were 525,000 manufacturing job openings in October, up from 492,000 in September (and a new record high).
• October job postings for durable goods were up from 267,000 to 290,000, while postings for non-durable goods were up from 225,000 to 235,000 (an all-time high).
• Manufacturing quits decreased from 235,000 in September, the most since March 2001, to 220,000 in October — but they remained elevated. (Higher quits are “a sign the market is strengthening,” Moutray said.)
• U.S. manufacturing labor productivity jumped nearly 20% the annual rate in the third quarter, the largest quarterly increase on record since the data series began in 1987.

Moutray said: “Manufacturers are clearly ramping back up, rebounding from springtime weaknesses.” For more economic updates, see Moutray’s Dec. 7 report. 12/9/2020

Five Benefits of Robotic Process Automation

According to OMA Connections Partner Clark Schaefer Hackett, the biggest benefit of robotic process automation (RPA) is increased productivity — giving your workforce more time to focus on tasks that require emotional intelligence, reasoning, judgment, and interactions with customers. Here is a closer look at five tangible business benefits driven by RPA, as listed by the firm. 12/9/2020