Business leaders educate students
Panel makes future workforce members aware of opportunities.
Thousands of jobs CENTERVILLE — in Ohio are going unfilled due to a lack of skilled workers, so the Centerville school district came up with a plan to make sure students are aware of the opportunities.
Most well-paying jobs already require more than a high school degree, pointing to a critical shortage of workers for those jobs. Nearly 72 percent of Ohio’s 51,220 in-demand occupations paying a median annual wage of $40,000 or more required a credential beyond high school, according to previous reporting by the Dayton Daily News, which has investigated the future of Dayton’s economy.
Officials worry that new businesses won’t locate in the state if they can’t find the workers they need here.
Pay levels are driven by educational attainment. The median annual pay for Ohioans aged 25 and over who have a bachelor’s degree is $21,204 more than someone with a high school degree or equivalent, according to the U.S. Census’ 2017 one-year estimate.
A panel of industry leaders came to Centerville High School recently to tell hundreds of students about opportunities in the workforce and the education and experience needed to fill those roles.
Erik Collins, the director of Montgomery County Community and Economic Development, echoed those thoughts, saying his organization’s goal is to “build a workforce pipeline throughout the region. Hopefully, some of these kids today will get excited about these opportunities.”