NewsWIB March  2017
Spotlight on Employers

Patheon



Leah Winkler (ODJFS), Kathleen Busemeyer (OMJ-Cincinnati/Hamilton County), Stephen Tucker (PCW) and Sherry Kelley Marshall (SWORWIB) suit up to tour Patheon to familiarize themselves with good manufacturing operations and employee health and safety requirements in order to assist Patheon with recruitment for positions in packaging and production.






Spotlight on Partners

Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority College Connection Event



Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority's College Connection Event took place on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at the Cincinnati Contemporary Learning Center. The purpose of this event was to gather and connect the community with educational institutions. The event provided an open space where the community had the opportunity to explore options that assisted them in pursuing their educational goals.  

Closing the Skills Gap I-T Initiative

This Closing the Skills Gap I-T Initiative is comprised of an 8 week/8 hours per day training course which is an "information technology boot-camp style training" and is free to students. The goal is to train students quickly and thoroughly in order to fill the 2,000 plus information technology job openings in the Cincinnati area where graduates will enter into living wage paying careers.

 









The Primary funding and support for this I-T initiative comes from the collaboration between Per Scholas, Thrive Impact Sourcing, Hamilton County Job and Family Services, the OhioMeansJobs Center Cincinnati-Hamilton County, Southwest Ohio Region Workforce Investment Board and CityLink.

CityLink provides classroom space and extra training for the Per Scholas students in the program. The Per Scholas teacher's salary is paid for by Thrive Impact Sourcing who hires Per Scholas graduates. Hamilton County Job and Family Services, the OhioMeansJobs Center and the SWORWIB together invested $148,000 to fund On-the-Job-Training for students who complete the program.

Kevin Holt, of the OhioMeansJobs Center, stated "What I love about this program is these are the folks who might not have otherwise gotten these wage opportunities, but this employer, this training provider, their collaboration has found ways to move people up that ladder".

Click here to view a full video about this Closing the Skills Gap I-T Initiative.

Spotlight on Youth

Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates 
MLK Day of Service


Students from Withrow University 
posing during the MLK March

On MLK Days of Services, students from the Jobs for Cincinnati Graduates program participated in Service Learning projects across the city. Students from Withrow University participated in the MLK March as well as other activities downtown. Students from Aiken New Tech, Western Hills University and Shroder High Schools spent the day at the Hope Lodge helping to take down Christmas trees that had been decorated throughout the lodge as well as learning about the Hope Lodge, who they serve, services provided and other opportunities for service projects throughout the year.


Fifth Third Project SEARCH

On Wednesday, March 15, 2017 representatives of Great Oaks,
Nia Baucke of the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts interviewing
intern Brett Lewis
Hamilton County Developmental Disability Services, Ohio Means Jobs Cincinnati-Hamilton County, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities and Project SEARCH Fifth Third Bank gathered at Great Oaks to host a "Reverse Job Fair" for student interns from Project Search' 2016-2017 class. The second annual event was organized to connect the Project SEARCH interns with employers who might hire them to use the general office and document management skills they learned while interning at Fifth Third sites. As the interns will all be graduating from high school in May, this event offered them a head start in job seeking  and practice presenting themselves in an interview setting.
 
Spotlight on Career Pathways and Youth

Dream it Do it's "What's So Cool 
About Manufacturing?" Video Contest

Dream It Do It's, "What's So Cool About Manufacturing" Video Contest is a program designed by employers and educators to help improve the image of manufacturing as a career choice with the objective of recruiting more young people to vocational and technical schools that feed talent to the manufacturing industry.
Teams of middle school students, led by teacher coaches, are provided with video equipment and instructional materials and matched with local manufacturers. Each team has four months to create a short video profile of partner companies, and the career opportunities they offer to answer the question, "What's So Cool About Manufacturing" The entries are jud ged by an expert panel and public vote-hosted on the Dream It. Do It. Website. 
Top Row from left to right: Adam Jones (Executive Director of the Workforce Investment Board of Butler, Clermont and Warren Counties), Barbara Stewart (The Northern Kentucky Area Development District), Courtis Fuller (WLWT), and Sherry Kelley Marshall (President and CEO of SWORWIB)
Bottom Row from left to right: Employees of Safran Landings and Students of Sharp Middle School
On Thursday, March 9, at Northern Kentucky University in the Student Union Ballroom, the winners of the contest were recognized at an awards ceremony by industry and education leaders, dignitaries, and elected officials. Sherry Kelley Marshall, along with other workforce board leaders participated in the event as judges of the Video Contest.

Focus on IT: TechOlympics

"The INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati teamed up with 26 local partners to host more than 500 local students for TechOlympics 2017. TechOlympics, Cincinnati's premiere technology competition and expo, was held on Friday, February 24-26 at the Millennium Hotel."

"Students from 50 area high schools competed in challenges ranging from programming and design to networking. TechOlympics brought professionals from industries and organizations across the region to guide participants through technology challenges and helped students practice job skills such as interviewing and resume writing."

"Participants heard from leaders in business, education and government and had direct access to Cincinnati's best employers, many of whom were looking for summer interns and future co-ops."
 

Spotlight on Economic Development

Working Together to Serve Employers

Left to right: Brandy Scott Herrmann, OMJ; Dustin Montgomery, HCDC; Kathryn Busemeyer, OMJ; Darryl Gaither, OMJ Employer Services; Harry Blanton, HCDC; Matt Owens, ODJFS Regional; David Romp, REDI; Leah Winkler, ODJFS; Monica Hardman, City of Cincinnati.


President Marshall gets a group photo of the OMJ Center Team for Rapid Response and local economic development professionals to explore ways to work together when companies have layoffs or close operations in our area to assist the employer and the workers as quickly as possible. Monica Hardman, Deputy Director Cincinnati Community & Economic Development Department, David Romp from JobsOhio/Regional Economic Development Initiative along with Harry Blanton and Dustin Montgomery from HCDC discussed the benefits of economic development and workforce partnering to reach employers earlier in their layoff considerations and link dislocating workers to other companies where their skill set is being recruited for expansion and growth efforts.

Cincinnati Economic Development

On March 31st the City of Cincinnati Department of Community and Economic Development, in partnership with Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Cincinnati, hosted an event focusing on the topic of Unlocking the Tri-State Region: Foreign Direct Investment Symposium.

The event concentrated on foreign direct investment strategy as it relates to capital flows into infrastructure and real estate, and manufacturing, trade and workforce.

The goal was to build an advanced understanding of foreign direct investment, and to explore modes through which foreign capital flows into the region.

On March 31st Mayor Cranley welcomed participants at the Foreign Direct Investment Symposium at Anderson Pavilion.
New Board Member Tessa Xuan on the right joined President Marshall at a table with partners Stephen Tucker of PCW, Catherine Fitzgerald and Dustin Montgomery of HCDC

SWORWIB Board Member Oscar Bedolla, Director of the City's Community and Economic Development Department, moderated a panel at the symposium on  expanding foreign direct investment in the tri-state region. Speakers Joseph J. Dehner of Frost Brown Todd, Anne McKinney of SelectUSA, Stephen Strnisha of Cleveland International Fund, Jim Schellinger- Indiana Secretary of State and Warren Weber of PNC Bank shared strengths and challenges for the Tri-State.

Spotlight on SWORWIB

NANOE 2017 Board of Governors

The National Association of Nonprofit Organizations and Executives (NANOE) "formed a working group of thought-leaders from around the world to research and develop a new set of capacity-building competencies that empower nonprofits in ways previously thought to be impossible". 

This March in Columbia, SC at NANOE's 2017 Capacity-Building Convention & Expo, SWORWIB President & CEO Sherry Kelley Marshall was appointed to NANOE's prestigious 2017 Board of Governors. Marshall was honored at the convention alongside fellow Governors.

NANOE Leader and author of Re-Imagining Philanthropy and president of the National Development Institute Jimmy LaRose and SWORWIB President & CEO Sherry Kelley Marshall pose on the red carpet at the 2017 Board of Governors.

SWORWIB Advises the South 
Nevada Workforce Board on Our
Library Partnership

As you may have seen in our February NewsWIB, the National Association of Workforce Boards featured our library/OMJ partnership as a model for others.
The article reported on SWORWIB President & CEO Sherry Kelley Marshall's efforts to forge a formal partnership between the OMJ Center and the Public Library and their many branches.  The South Nevada Workforce Board asked about the SWORWIB's process of partnering with the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County; learning about the Work Readiness Series which Fifth Third  Bank also volunteered to assist and two other series that have been undertaken at various branch locations throughout the community. Marshall shared the successes and offered guidance to the South Nevada Workforce Board in producing a similar Work Readiness Series in partnership with their library system.


In the News...

The SWORWIB was mentioned in the Milwaukee Business Journal's article Different cities, same challenges: Not alone in jobs gap  by Dan Shafer. This article discussed cities in the United States facing similar workforce challenges as Milwaukee. The SWORWIB is partnering with other workforce boards in the Midwest of America on a Midwest Urban Strategies Consortium (MUSC). MUSC has won a TechHire grant and an America's Promise Grant that the SWORWIB will implement in Cincinnati.  Sherry Kelley Marshall was quoted in the article stating "Transit is a significant challenge for Cincinnati. Ten years ago, the average commute time to a job was 15 minutes, now the average commute time to a job is 45 minutes. That's how quick we've become metropolitan." 

The SWORWIB's Annual SuperAward's story was featured in the Butler County Community News. You can read the full story here.

Cincy Magazine showcased Hamilton County Commissioner and SWORWIB Board Member Denise Driehaus discussing her plans and goals for the community in her new role as Hamilton County Commissioner. To read the full article  click here.

Short Takes

Apprenticeship Career Fair
On Wednesday, April 19, 2017 the Greater Cincinnati Apprenticeship Council will be sponsoring the Apprenticeship Career Fair at the IBEW/NECA Electrical Training Center.This event will focus on careers in construction. Union construction programs in the Greater Cincinnati area are now recruiting to fill hundreds of opportunities in their apprenticeships. To learn more about this event  click here.

Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Hiring Event
On Friday, April 7, 2017 the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will host a Hiring Event for CMHA residents, Section 3 and the community. For more information call 513-977-5853 or email Lynmari.Lopez@Cintimha.com

OMJ April 2017 Workshop Calendar
The OhioMeansJobs Center of Cincinnati-Hamilton County has posted the April 2017 Workshops Calendar. You can view the calendar  here.
 
ODJFS Summer Youth Employment Program
Online applications for the Summer Youth Employment Program are now being accepted. To access the application  click here.

The Healthcare Basic Training Program
Mercy Neighborhood Ministries and Mercy Health are partnering to offer a new workforce development program. This program prepares individuals for employment at Jewish Mercy Hospital in dietary nutrition and environmental services. An open application session will be held on April 3, 2017 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm at the Mercy Health Home Office in Bond Hill located at 1701 Mercy Health Place, Cincinnati OH. To learn more call Mercy Neighborhood Ministries at 513-751-2500.


Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

T he SWORWIB has a Facebook  page where we post news, pictures, events and up-to-date  information at  https://www.facebook.com/sworwib.   IBEW NECA Electrical Training Center mentioned the SWORWIB on their Facebook page discussing workforce development.

Also, follow us on Twitter  @CincyWorkforce and we'll keep you informed throughout  the month. The SWORWIB now has over 200 followers including @LisaHarINNsight. Lisa Harvey is the Sales & Marketing Lead for INNsight. INNsight is a website that allows innkeepers to show off and sell their rooms easily and economically and pass along savings to travelers. To learn more about Lisa and INNsight click here.

Donations Appreciated

The SWORWIB is a 501c3 non-profit organization.  Would you or your organization like to support the continued success of the workforce board?  To make a donation (tax deductible) to the SWORWIB in support of Cincinnati-Hamilton County workforce initiatives, email Sherry Kelley Marshall at smarshall@sworwib.org
Contact:
Cheryl Brueggeman
Youth/Public Information Consultant
cbrueggeman@sworwib.org