The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Workforce, in-demand jobs discussed
As graduation is quickly approaching, high school seniors are required to make important decisions about their futures.
Wickliffe Schools Superintendent Joseph Spiccia and Wickliffe Schools Director of Innovation Julie Ramos organized a career panel and discussion on May 3 that could help.
Area business leaders and educators gathered at TriPoint Medical Center in Concord Township to discuss the current workforce and in-demand jobs.
This event aligned well with In-Demand Career Jobs Week, which will take place May 7-11.
In-Demand Jobs Week is a statewide celebration of jobs, industries and skills that are in demand in Ohio.
Geauga Growth Partnership President Tracy Jemison and Lake County Ohio Port & Economic Development Authority Executive Director Mark Rantala provided a workforce overview of Lake and Geauga counties.
Jemison said manufacturing is about 18 percent of the total county employment and continues to be a leading sector.
“We are very robust in the manufacturing field,” he said. “Next is healthcare.”
There is also a great need in the transportation industry, specifically drivers with a commercial drivers licence.
“There just aren’t enough truck drivers,” Jemison said.
Data also shows there is a greater shift toward associate degrees and certificates, he said.
Lake County has a similar workforce outlook, Rantala said.
“In the United States today there are 30 million jobs with an average pay of $55,000 a year that doesn’t require a college education,” he said. “So, we have to think about how to get people prepared. Many of the manufacturing jobs that are going to be empty from the retirements that are coming need to be filled by people with certificates. Right now in the United States, there are more trade jobs like carpentry, electrical, plumbing, sheet metal and pipe fitting that come with an average salary of $54,000 a year.”
Rantala also discussed how information technology is growing .
“I’ve been saying for a long time that schools need to start teaching coding,” he said. “We have to get people that understand introductory language to be in computer fields.”
While there is a need for registered nurses, nursing assistants and medical assistants are also on the rise.
“With the aging of the population, I don’t think we could ever hire enough people to do that,” Rantala said.
In addition to Jemison and Rantala’s analysis, the event also featured a panel of business leaders from four high-demand industries — advanced manufacturing, construction, information technology and healthcare.
Representatives from MAGNET, JEMM Construction, Marous Brothers Construction and Lake Health sat on the panel. They discussed skills and education required for various position, current vacancies and successful partnerships with schools.
“We have looked at this issue of career and workforce development for the last three years and what we’ve learned probably most importantly is that collaboration matters,” Spiccia said. “In order for us to create greater economic prosperity, we have to get people working together. Whether they’re a school district in Geauga County or a school district in Lake County; whether they’re a business in Geauga or Lake or whether they are in healthcare or manufacturing, when we all work together I think that’s where we will build the kind of economic prosperity that we are seeking.”