Ohio To Work Initiative Expands Across the State

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef today announced the expansion of the Ohio To Work initiative into Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati, Dayton, and the Mahoning Valley.

Ohio To Work first launched in Cleveland in September 2020 as a pilot initiative to provide those seeking employment with career opportunities that increase income and improve quality of life. The program has since reached several thousand job seekers across the state, providing pathways to in-demand jobs through personalized career coaching, accelerated training options, local employer connections, career tools, and more.

“The Ohio To Work initiative helps employers access a skilled and highly-trained workforce while providing job seekers access to well-paying, long-lasting careers," said Governor DeWine. "By expanding this innovative, partnerships-based program, we'll be able to give more Ohioans access to the tools and supports they need to find meaningful employment and support Ohio’s rapid and equitable economic resurgence."

“Ohio To Work is helping job seekers upskill so they can find opportunities that will improve their quality of life now and set them up for future success,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation. “With the expansion of this program, more Ohioans -- and more Ohio businesses -- can benefit from the workforce pipeline created through the partnerships and connections developed by this initiative.”

Led by JobsOhio, Ohio’s private economic development corporation, Ohio To Work currently has more than 70 employers who are committed to hiring job seekers. Nearly a dozen training providers also support the initiative by providing individuals with workforce-aligned training solutions in a wide-range of areas including computer numerical control machining, software coding, healthcare technology, nursing assistance, and more.

“We’ve already heard from job seekers and employers from Cleveland that the pilot program has created career-pathways for many individuals, and we look forward to intensifying this work across the state,” said J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO of JobsOhio. “The need for short-term, industry-aligned skills training has never been more important and this is why Ohio To Work has convened partners with the existing industry connections and access to employers. Our partners are committed to an equitable economic recovery and building back our communities stronger and more resilient than ever before.”

Ohio To Work's local partners play a critical role in addressing barriers to employment and have made equity an intentional focus and effort in all aspects of the initiative. Other partners involved in the program include the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Business Roundtable, Ohio Means Jobs, and an array of Ohio employers and training providers.

Allison Faulkner, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

“I had been applying for jobs all over the place, and my career coach helped me find my current role in less than two months,” said Allison Faulkner, participant in the Ohio To Work initiative launched in Cleveland and current employee at University Hospitals Health System. “Thanks to the initiative, I am now a Patient Access Representative at the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. This is a full-time position with great benefits and vacation time, and there’s a clear path to becoming a team lead. Before this experience, my mental health was suffering but now my overall outlook is improved.”

“The Ohio To Work partners have been an invaluable resource in helping us develop customized solutions for the roles that we need to fill,” said Adrianne Shadd, Program Manager of Workforce Development and Outreach at University Hospitals Health System. “As we emerge from the pandemic, this partnership will be crucial in helping employers like us find the skilled workers we need to meet the demands of today’s job market.”

"There is nothing that radical collaboration can't solve - businesses working with non-profits and government, all supported by Ohio through JobsOhio,” said Ethan Karp, president and CEO of MAGNET, the Manufacturing, Advocacy and Growth Network in Cleveland. “Ohio To Work is solving real problems that prevent people from getting good jobs in IT, healthcare and manufacturing - simultaneously solving business's biggest problem (the lack of talent to run their business) and changing lives by lifting people up into good paying careers."

Media Contacts:

Gov: Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
LG: Hayley Carducci: 614-404-8616
JobsOhio: Matt Englehart: 614-300-1152