This story is part of an ongoing series exploring north central Ohio's workforce trends and how different organizations, including businesses and schools, are adapting to current challenges. Thanks to our presenting sponsor, Gorman-Rupp Company for its ongoing support of trusted independent local journalism.
SHELBY — Educators, parents and community leaders gathered Thursday night at North Central State College’s Kehoe Center to discuss a months-long reporting project aimed at understanding the region’s changing workforce.
The event — Tomorrow’s Talent: Takeaways and Talkback — concluded a reporting project sponsored by area industries including the Gorman-Rupp Company and others.
Reporters Katie Ellington Serrao, Grace McCormick and Mariah Thomas worked in tandem to produce more than 20 stories since April.
The stories, as a whole, take a deep dive into the trajectory of the region’s local economy and efforts to create the skilled workforce needed into the future.
(These photos were taken by Cheryl Splain of Knox Pages.)
Dorey Diab, president of North Central State College, opened the event by underscoring the importance of the work to roughly 70 people in attendance.
The body of work helps “strengthen our community’s understanding of the importance in raising the education attainment and learning,” he said.
N.C. State, one of the project’s sponsors, offers a two-year program that allows high school students to earn credits toward an associates degree in business or engineering technology.
The school has also recently launched a program geared toward equipping high school students to complete a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology.
Diab, who has a doctorate in leadership in higher education, pointed to statistical patterns indicating those with higher education attainment levels earn more in wages.
“A 5-percent increase in education attainment, between an associate and bachelor degree, would improve the state’s financial position by $500 billion per year. The facts speak for themselves.
“And we need to work together to make that happen,” he said.
Beryl Allen, a retired educator from Jamaica in attendance on Thursday, agreed. As a first-generation college graduate, she then went on to become a teacher and ultimately a principal.
Her daughters, one of which now serves as a Mansfield City Councilwoman — Cynthia Daley — both attended university. And their children, Allen’s grandchildren, have also now gone to college.
“I drilled into them: go to school,” Allen said of her daughters.
Challenges and opportunities
There are challenges — and opportunities — ahead, however.
Source Media reporters found the region’s top employment sectors remain in manufacturing and health care. But those sectors are also set to fall victim to what’s known as the Silver Tsunami — a wave of retirees that could leave gaps in the workforce.
Since 2010, about 10,000 Baby Boomers have turned 65 per day, and they all will cross that age threshold by 2030, according to reports.
Up to 15 percent of the manufacturing workforce is set to retire by 2026, and around 10 percent of the northeast Ohio manufacturing jobs are currently unfilled.
That’s why so much attention is being paid to Intel, and its potential impact to Ohio’s economy and workforce. Experts have said one job at Intel could support up to 13 jobs elsewhere and have emphasized the need for a “new collar” workforce.
New collar is a term that includes skilled tech workers without college degrees. Places like Ohio Semiconductor Collaboration Network is training the so-called new collar workforce today.
Gen Z and soft skills
The Tomorrow’s Talent series also delved into the psyche of young people, particularly Generation Z students locally.
Reporters surveyed 1,140 high school students from Richland and Ashland counties to understand how they view college and work.
The results, in a nutshell, are that most students:
- know what they want to do after high school
- plan to attend college
- are doing their homework when it comes to developing these post-secondary plans
- strive for work-life balance in jobs
Beth Hildreth, director of student services for the College Planning Alliance, attended Thursday’s event. She said her son, Jansen, is a prime example of the results found in Tomorrow’s Talent reporting.
He earned an associate’s degree through N.C. State’s College-NOW program while still in high school. He then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in two years from Liberty University, and is currently in graduate school at the age of 20.
Hildreth said she hopes, now, since he’s still young, that he can find work as a financial planner.
That’s where developing soft skills while still in middle or high school becomes important, said Dan Jones, a 7th and 8th grade teacher at The Richland School of Academic Arts.
“Those problem solving, communication and time management skills — they’re important,” Jones said moments after Thursday’s event.
Employers agree.
Reporters found that 94 area business leaders say they value communication, people skills and being on time as the most desirable soft skills in hiring new employees.
More reporting can be found here. Resources including the slideshow and a digital copy of Source Media’s takeaways magazine are available on Linktree.
(Photos below from Hayden Gray of Richland Source)
Thanks to Gorman-Rupp Company, Spherion, North Central State College, Ashland County Community Foundation and The Ohio State University Mansfield for their generous support of trusted independent local journalism.