Regional Chamber Gets Grant for Workforce Development Planning Project

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber has received a $225,000 state grant for its workforce development planning project. 

The Appalachian Technical Assistance Grant was awarded through the Ohio Appalachian Community Grant Program.

The state of Ohio allocated seed funds to Youngstown State University to partner with the Regional Chamber to form a workforce coalition in March 2022. The coalition, which includes more than 20 members across Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, has identified attracting, developing and retaining workforce as the largest collective challenge. The Regional Chamber’s project aims to build a system and supporting infrastructure to align the regional workforce ecosystem.

Through working groups and workshops, the coalition has developed a list of goals to help the Mahoning Valley’s economy be successful in gaining and retaining the talent pipeline. The goals fall into several categories, including strategic alignment, efficient private-industry partnerships, accountability, integration of wrap-around services and marketing opportunities on a large scale.

“We are most grateful to our members and partners who instilled trust in us to facilitate this project for the region,” said Melissa Maiorano, the Regional Chamber’s director of Workforce Development. “We could not have done it without the investment of Youngstown State University, the continued support of Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and the workforce agencies that will be involved throughout.”

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.