News and Analysis
PPG Commits $20M to Diversity and Inclusion
February 5, 2021It was reported this week that OMA member PPG is committing $20 million over five years to diversity and inclusion initiatives to address the opportunity gap, while boosting STEM and other educational opportunities for underrepresented communities. Read the story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
If you’re taking steps to increase diversity and inclusion, check out the National Association of Manufacturing’s Pledge for Action. (The OMA is an active partner in this initiative.) Also, the Manufacturing Institute offers helpful tools and resources to employers. 2/2/2021
Creators Wanted Kicks Off Virtual Campaign
February 5, 2021Creators Wanted — the workforce initiative from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Manufacturing Institute (MI) — announced this week how it will continue its work during the pandemic to reduce the skills gap and end misperceptions about modern manufacturing.
The Creators Wanted Tour is still being planned, but it will take place virtually (at least for now). The NAM and MI will make their way across the country with virtual events aimed at different geographical areas. Learn more here. 2/3/2021
Proposed Manufacturing School in Mentor Gets Final Approval
January 29, 2021In Mentor, a new, manufacturing-focused trade school is closer to becoming a reality. According to reports, the Alliance for Working Together (AWT) — the OMA-endorsed sector partnership for Ashtabula, Geauga, and Lake counties — has received final site plan approval for the AWT Transformation Training Center.
The mission of the 12,462-square-foot facility will be to “scale-up Northeast Ohio’s collective skilled manufacturing labor force.” At full build-out, the center will have nine classrooms and/or labs with capacity to hold up to 200 students and staff. The project’s target finish date is early 2022. 1/27/2021
Ohio’s Initial Unemployment Claims Up 16% Last Week
January 29, 2021Ohioans filed 49,974 first-time applications for unemployment compensation last week, up about 16% compared to the previous week. Meanwhile, there were 262,999 continued jobless claims filed last week, down from 265,467 the week prior.
Ohio has sent more than $8 billion in unemployment compensation payments to more than 908,000 workers over the last 45 weeks. 1/28/2021
Ohio Ranked 18th in K-12 Per-Pupil Spending
January 22, 2021When it comes to educating the future workforce, Ohio taxpayers invested nearly $20 billion in K-12 school district operations last fiscal year. Per-pupil operating spending has increased nearly 19% over the past decade, while Ohio is ranked 18th nationally in per-pupil spending, according to state and national data.
To help visualize Ohio’s K-12 spending, the Legislative Service Commission (LSC) has published this infographic. The LSC has produced another infographic to examine state spending on school facilities. 1/21/2021
Updated Directory for Ohio’s Industry Sector Partnerships
January 22, 2021To help grow Ohio’s manufacturing talent, the OMA coordinates and supports the state’s network of industry sector partnerships (ISPs). By fostering collaboration and resource-sharing among manufacturers, these local ISPs are transforming how Ohio attracts and develops manufacturing workers.
The OMA has published this updated directory, which includes contact information for 18 ISPs covering 65 counties. More counties and communities are in the early stages of organizing their own manufacturing-focused ISPs. OMA members are encouraged to connect with the ISP for their region, or email Sara Tracey for help organizing. 1/19/2021
Schedule for OMA’s 2021 Workforce Webinars
January 22, 2021The 2021 schedule of OMA workforce webinars is now live. This year, the OMA is offering seven webinars that showcase best practices in talent development, while also highlighting tools and strategies to advance the goals launched in the 2021 Workforce Roadmap. Webinars are $19 for members and non-members — and you can register immediately. 1/19/2021
Deadline: TechCred Applications Due Jan. 29
January 22, 2021Ohio TechCred continues to accept applications for the program’s seventh funding round. Employers have until Friday, Jan. 29 to submit their applications for this popular employer reimbursement program to upskill employees. For more details, see the OMA’s one-pager. 1/20/2021
At a Glance: Ohio’s Unemployment by County
January 22, 2021Ohioans filed 42,975 initial applications for unemployment compensation last week, a 15% increase compared to the previous week. More than $7.9 billion in unemployment compensation payments has been sent to more than 900,000 Ohioans over the last 44 weeks.
The latest monthly unemployment rate map from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services shows nine counties had jobless rates of 6.5% or higher as of November, while well more than half of counties had jobless rates under 5%. Holmes County had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.4%.
Examining the state’s metro areas, Cincinnati claimed the lowest jobless rate (4.8%), while Cleveland had the highest (5.8%). 1/21/2021
Industry Sector Partnerships Awarded Funds to Enhance Ohio’s Manufacturing Workforce
January 15, 2021Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who serves as Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, this week announced $2.5 million in awards under the state’s Industry Sector Partnership (ISP) grant program. Of the dozen award recipients, eight are OMA-endorsed sector partnerships, which are transforming how manufacturers attract and develop workers.
The OMA helped spearhead the development of the ISP grant program in 2019 and worked to ensure its funding through the state’s operating budget.
In a press release, Eric Burkland, the OMA’s president emeritus and leader of the OMA Educational and Industrial Development Institute, said: “The pandemic has exacerbated Ohio’s manufacturing workforce shortage. We appreciate the DeWine-Husted administration’s leadership in expanding the use of industry sector partnerships to ensure that Ohio remains a national leader in manufacturing.” 1/13/2021