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Ohio was recently named America’s top state for business. Even closer to home, Central Ohio is attracting historic levels of investment in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, bioscience, and other rapidly expanding industries.
But landing new facilities is just the beginning. The region’s economic future depends on its ability to build and sustain the right workforce. As employers confront demographic shifts, technological change, barriers to training and job access, collaborative workforce development is becoming as essential to growth for Central Ohio as roads, electricity, and housing.
The stakes go far beyond filling vacancies. Central Ohio must decide whether its next era of growth will produce broadly shared, family-sustaining opportunity—or leave too many people on the sidelines.
How can our region create clear pathways for existing residents —including young adults, veterans, displaced workers, and residents left out of past prosperity —while also attracting new residents? Should employers rethink degree requirements, invest more directly in training, and help address obstacles like transportation, and housing? Can policy solutions help build a stronger workforce?
Most importantly, can we build a workforce development system equal to the scale of our ambitions, keeping the American Dream within reach for more Central Ohioans?
Featuring State Senator Kyle Koehler, 10th Ohio Senate District; Dr. David Harrison, President, Columbus State Community College; Sandra Rodriguez-Toledo, Vice President of Site Operations, Amgen Ohio; David White, Vice President, Talent Strategy, One Columbus, with moderator Angela An, News Anchor, WBNS 10TV.
If you would like to dive more deeply into this topic, our friends at the Columbus Metropolitan Library suggest checking out Trade Up: Why the Future Belongs to Skilled Trades and How Career Education Is Transforming the Workforce, by Jason Altmire, 2026.
Photographs by: Ian Alexander Photography
