COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s manufacturing leaders gathered Thursday with Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel at the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s Workforce Summit to showcase how innovation and collaboration are fueling the state’s manufacturing talent strategy.
The summit, held at the Hilton Downtown Columbus, featured the debut of a new video showcasing the Ohio Manufacturing Workforce Blueprint, the state’s coordinated plan to build and sustain a talent pipeline for 35,000 manufacturing job openings each year.
“Ohio’s manufacturing engine is humming,” OMA President Ryan Augsburger said. “We’re building the people power to keep it that way.”
The blueprint video highlights five core strategies to grow Ohio’s manufacturing workforce: connecting systems, expanding career awareness, broadening the talent pool, aligning education and training and advancing earn-and-learn models.
“It’s a great time for manufacturing in Ohio as we see new investment and job creation on the rise,” Tressel said. “The blueprint lays out a unified workforce development strategy to help us meet the industry’s growing demand.”
Keynote speaker Todd McLees of Humanskills.ai discussed “Building AI Agility – Competing and Thriving in the New Economy.” Breakout sessions covered student outreach, technician advancement, employee retention and marketing to attract new manufacturing talent.
A JobsOhio market research briefing provided new insights into Ohio’s technician workforce, followed by a closing panel featuring L-H Battery Co., GMI Companies and Worthington Steel. Panelists discussed strategies to expand earn-and-learn models statewide.
“Ohio has the momentum, the investment and the infrastructure,” Augsburger said. “Our next step is turning that strength into a workforce that wins.”