For Ohioans who are out of work or working part time, looking for a job can be a stressful experience. There is good news though: our economy is growing, Ohio companies are expanding, and many are looking to hire.
A May by Gallup, a company that regularly conducts public-opinion polls, asked Americans about their opinion on the availability of good jobs. The results are encouraging: 67 percent of Americans believe now is a good time to find a quality job. That’s the highest level in the survey’s 17-year history.
I’ve traveled the state meeting with business owners and workers to hear how pro-growth federal policies are affecting their businesses and their paychecks. From what I’ve seen and heard, this optimism is no surprise.
Since the first of the year, I’ve visited 19 businesses that have either raised wages, delivered bonuses, hired new workers, invested in better equipment, or increased workers’ benefits as a direct result of tax reform — many have done a combination of these things.
Last month, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce conducted a survey asking about business hiring and the results are striking: 70 percent of businesses added employees in the first three months of the year and 75 percent said they plan to hire this quarter.
But there is something in the way — some call it the skills gap. For many Ohioans in need of work, the main obstacle is that they don’t have the skills needed to fill the positions available. As co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, I’m working to help connect Ohioans to good-paying jobs and to get them access to skills training and certificates for positions businesses need, whether that is manufacturing, information technology, health care, truck driving or more.
That starts with making career-training programs more affordable. Right now, lower-income students are eligible for federal financial aid in the form of Pell Grants if they attend college but not if they choose to enroll in a shorter-term training program offered by a community college or other institution. These shorter-term training and certification programs can provide the skills and qualifications needed for many of the jobs businesses want to fill. The JOBS Act, a bipartisan bill I introduced last year, will give those in shorter-term training programs the same access to Pell Grants as those in college.
In addition to making skills training programs more affordable, I’m working to make them more accessible. The CTE Excellence and Equity Act, a bipartisan bill I authored, will help redesign the high school experience by expanding access to high-quality CTE programs that provide college credit, workforce experience, and apprenticeship opportunities. CTE, what used to be called vocational education in high schools, is a terrific opportunity for so many young people.
A four-year college isn’t for everyone, and these programs provide an opportunity for Ohio students who have an interest in a particular skill or trade to be qualified for good-paying jobs that can lead to long, successful careers. This spring, I spoke at the graduation at North Central State College, outside of Mansfield. The school provides programs for high school students to get college credit and for students of all ages to get associate degrees and certificates in a number of career fields. Their graduates have a 95 percent employment rate.
CTE also includes training programs can help those who are further on in their lives and help adult Ohioans attempting to reintegrate into the workforce. In Youngstown, I recently toured Flying HIGH, a professional development center that teaches those in recovery and recently released from prison how to weld, how to manage and market a greenhouse, provides them with carpentry skills, and more. They work closely with employers and their placement rate is impressive.
Some businesses in Ohio are stepping up themselves to help workers afford career training as well. Two weeks ago, I spoke at Amazon’s fulfilment center outside of Columbus as they announced the start of their “Career Choice” program in Ohio. That program pays 95 percent of tuition expenses for Amazon workers who have been with the company for at least one year. It helps allow employees to pursue certificates or associate degrees in fields of study for in-demand jobs.
I also recently spoke at Kroger’s announcement of their “Feed Your Future” program to help employees improve their skills. Kroger has taken their tax reform savings and offered any employee who has been there for six months or more a $3,500 annual stipend for anything from a GED to skills training to a college degree.
They are working with local businesses to be sure employees are being trained for jobs that are available. I hope more businesses across the state will follow suit. Having qualified workers not only benefits the employee who receives skills training — but also their employer and our communities.
I’ll continue working to make skills training programs more affordable and accessible for all Ohioans so they can access good jobs and experience the dignity and self-respect that comes from a career — and so employers can find the workforce they need to expand right here in Ohio.