Workforce Management

Best Practices for Rural Workforce Development

From the lack of internet access to limited educational or training opportunities, manufacturers in rural Ohio often face different workforce challenges than their urban counterparts. To help employers address rural workforce hurdles, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, an OMA Connections Partner, has published these five best practices based on recent research. 7/6/2022

4 Tips to Encourage Teens to Pursue Industrial Careers

Summer is a great time to connect with young people who are contemplating their future. With 2.1 million manufacturing jobs estimated to be up for grabs by 2030, Thomas.net has published these four tips to get more teens interested in industrial careers.

Meanwhile, MakingOhio.com continues to offer resources to educate and inspire the next generation of manufacturers — including videos, job descriptions, and an interactive “career pathways” page. 7/7/2022

Time to Start Planning Your MFG Day (or Month) Event

MFG Day — an annual event intended to promote manufacturing careers to a broad audience — is set for Friday, Oct. 7. While this important day is still months away, the time to start planning is now. (Remember, events can be held any time in October, which is MFG Month. Be sure to register your event here.)

The Manufacturing Institute has compiled a variety of resources to help your company plan, produce, and amplify your MFG Day event. Resources include:

• Webinar recordings;
• Host toolkit;
• Marketing toolkit;
• Action partner toolkit; and
• DIY video toolkit.

To complement your MFG Day/Month planning, check out the OMA’s on-demand webinars on finding “hidden workers” and recruiting veterans to manufacturing. 6/28/2022

New TechCred Application Round Starts July 1

The next round of Ohio TechCred begins July 1, giving employers the chance to upskill employees and be reimbursed up to $2,000 per credential. Check out the OMA’s one-page summary for more information or help applying for reimbursement. Also, see this insight from OMA Connections Partner HBK. 4/18/2022

EEOC Hosts Discussion on Skills-Based Hiring

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently hosted an online discussion to address skills-based hiring aimed at promoting equal employment opportunity in the workplace. It was noted that many employers are re-examining their degree and hiring requirements to focus on an applicant’s abilities rather than where they learned them. A recording of the roundtable discussion can be viewed here. 6/29/2022

Workforce Roundup: Ohio Prepares for ‘Silicon Heartland’

• From expanding apprenticeship programs to boosting offerings at two-year and four-year institutions, Ohio is preparing its future workforce for careers at Intel and within its vast supplier network, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
• To enhance opportunities for Ohio students to earn industry-recognized credentials, the Ohio Department of Education is conducting this brief survey of industrial partners. The feedback will be used in determining which credentials are most valuable.
• OMA Connections Partner MAGNET says that to start a fourth industrial revolution in northeast Ohio, manufacturing companies need role models to see firsthand the advantages of Industry 4.0 technology.
• OMA member BASF is getting national attention with its apprenticeship program, which now has nearly 100 apprentices at 20 manufacturing sites across the country.

Meanwhile, a new Gallup workplace report finds 58% of Americans are stressed at their current job. Other recent surveys find that 84% of Gen Z employees reported burnout in the last year — and nearly half were “stressed or anxious all or most of the time.” (Experts say employers can help employees address work-related stress by improving the workplace culture.) 6/23/2022

Recruiting and Retaining Women in Manufacturing

Many OMA members report that recruiting and retention continue to present a challenge. According to The Manufacturing Institute, studies show manufacturers could fill more positions and close the skills gap by 50% simply by adding 10% more women to the industry’s talent pool.

The Institute is conducting this survey to better understand what manufacturing companies are doing to recruit and retain female talent. The OMA encourages your participation before Friday, July 8. OMA staff will coordinate with the Institute and issue a best practices report later this year. 6/23/2022

Workforce Roundup: New TechCred Funding Round Starts July 1

• The next round of the Ohio TechCred program will open July 1, and applications will be accepted until July 29.
• The DeWine-Husted administration has announced it is undertaking an extensive outreach effort to offer free individualized employment services to spouses of active and former military members.
• OMA Connections Partner MAGNET has set Oct. 7 as the grand opening of its new Cleveland facility, taking it from an abandoned school building to a high-tech manufacturing center that will serve as MAGNET’s headquarters (and offer space for manufacturing startups).
• The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition has launched its roundtable series on diversity, equity, and inclusion to boost efforts to find “hidden workers.”
• The Alliance for Working Together Foundation — serving three northeast Ohio counties — this week held a manufacturing camp in Painesville to introduce young girls to manufacturing careers. (Watch this video.)
• If you haven’t already, there’s still time to register for the OMA’s June 23 webinar titled “Demystifying Industry 4.0 for Workforce Development.”

In other news, CNBC reports that workforce will be the most heavily weighted factor in its 2022 “Top States for Business” study, to be released July 13. In this article, the network spotlights Ohio’s talent development efforts. 6/16/2022

Manufacturing Institute’s Workforce Summit, Oct. 18-20 in Cincinnati

The Manufacturing Institute — the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers — has selected Ohio as the site of its inaugural Workforce Summit.

Set for Oct. 18, 19, and 20 at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati, the summit will focus on cooperation and partnerships to solve key workforce development issues facing modern manufacturing. Topics will include recruitment and retention, apprenticeships and earn-and-learn, and diversity and inclusion. Register or learn more.

The OMA’s Ohio Manufacturers’ Workforce Summit will return in 2023. In the meantime, we encourage members to attend the Institute’s summit in Cincinnati to access national expertise and networking opportunities, as well as Ohio-specific content. OMA staff and workforce leaders will be on site. You can email us for your OMA discount code. 6/15/2022

College Admissions Continue to Fall in Ohio, Nationwide

In what is being called an “enrollment crisis” by the higher education community, spring enrollment data show a continuing downward trend in applications for U.S. colleges and universities. Community colleges have been hit harder than four-year institutions, studies show.

The Cincinnati Enquirer (subscription) reports on enrollment figures from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Ohio institutions lost close to 26,000 students last year and nearly 47,000 since 2020.

According to the Center, the lower enrollment figures “suggest that there’s a broader question about the value of college and particularly concerns about student debt and paying for college and potential labor market returns.” Federal data show that over the past two decades, college tuition has increased more than any other good or service besides hospital care — increasing 188%. 6/8/2022