By Tricia Hall
The Truth reporter
Youth mentoring nonprofit, CityPark League Resource Group, in collaboration with Ohio’s Minority Affairs Liaison Ron Todd, organized a meeting with community leaders and Ohio’s Lt Governor Jon Husted last week.
“This is only the beginning of future conversations with important people who are doing the work in the community and supporting CityPark League,” shared Montrice Terry, CityPark League Resource Group Founder.
The gathering was held on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 in Promedica Ebeid Center and included over 20 different local nonprofit executives and board members, private business owners, residents and elected officials. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and determine strategies on ways to address community needs, and learn about Ohio-based resources.
“I’ve known the lieutenant governor for years. I know his heart and his passion to help people,” shared Todd during his introduction of the meeting and the lieutenant governor.
The leaders discussed economic development, current housing stock, nonprofit capacity, financial literacy, youth violence, employment and other emerging needs. In return
Husted also offered his opinions on a host of issues, including the current jobs situation in Ohio.
“If there aren’t any jobs or opportunities, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” said Husted. “But Ohio has transitioned itself over the past 30 years – from a bad place to do business to a good place to do business.”
He touted “major private sector investments” such as General Motors recent announcement about the electric car initiative for Toledo and the Intel plant coming to Columbus as results of the attraction Ohio has for the business sector.
“Right now, we are creating jobs faster than we can fill them – with the lowest unemployment rate in my lifetime.” There are 3.5 jobs, he added, for every person on unemployment.
In light of the glut of jobs, Husted stressed the need for job training.
He shared information about various resources including an adult education program, called TechCred. According to the resource website TechCred helps Ohioans learn new skills and helps employers build a stronger workforce with the skills needed in a technology-infused economy. The majority of the trainings are offered online and may take less than a year.
“There are free programs out there to help in the area of workforce development. We don’t have a marketing department, but I do share this information, or at least try to share during press conferences,” said Husted.
“We have to knock down those barriers,” he said. “And I hope we will be a model for the rest of the nation.”
The next TechCred application opens November 1, 2022 and closes on November 30, 2022. For additional information about TechCred, visit https://techcred.ohio.gov/
Lt. Governor Jon Husted was adopted by his parents, Jim and Judy, is the oldest of three children, raised in Williams County of Ohio, and earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Dayton.
Prior to his election as lieutenent governor in 2018, he was Ohio’s Secretary of State, Speaker of Ohio’s House of Representatives and Ohio Senator. In his current role, he oversees the Ohio Common Sense Initiative, and serves as the Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation and InnovateOhio.