OMA Testifies in Support of Bill to Help Students Gain Manufacturing Exposure

This week OMA’s Rob Brundrett, Director, Public Policy Services, testified in support of HB 551 (Perales-R-Beavercreek, Romanchuk-R-Mansfield) before the House Economic Development, Commerce and Labor Committee. The bill would relax some of the obstacles for 16- and 17-year olds, who are not in a specific school program, to gain access to manufacturing jobs.

Brundrett testified: “An obstacle manufacturing has in developing workforce is getting middle and high school students exposure to modern manufacturing. … House Bill 551 can support manufacturers by permitting 16- and 17-year olds to work in manufacturing, especially during the summer months when school is out of session. Currently students must be affiliated with some specific school program in order to work at a manufacturing facility if they are under the age of 18.

” … The bill has the opportunity to touch a new crop of students who never knew they could be interested in manufacturing. This exposure at a younger age is beneficial in developing the next generation of makers.” 6/20/2018