In the recent "State of the Community," the "State of the Workforce" was one of the topics covered. Kevin Coleman was there, as it was hosted by the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce at the Chillicothe Country Club March 24th.
Jody Walker is the director of South Central Ohio Job & Family Services, covering Hocking, Ross, and Vinton counties.
He said unemployment in Ross is at its lowest since the early 2000s, but employers are struggling to fill jobs...and that shows why "workforce participation" is a better measure. That dropped during the pandemic, but remains low even afterward.
Job & Family Services has a one-stop assistance center in the Ross County Service Center, as well as a website, for those wanting to re-enter the workforce. Walker says he can work with job seekers to increase their job skills so they can re-enter better, and work with employers so they can keep their current employees.
Walker says Job & Family Services also has allies who can help: the Chamber of Commerce, Ohio University-Chillicothe, and Pickaway-Ross Career and Technology Center.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom or Kevin Coleman