Lt. Governor Tressel joined by education, business leaders for Compact Conference

Yahoo

16-05-2025

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio's Lt. Governor Jim Tressel was joined by more than 100 education and business leaders on Thursday morning for the Central Ohio Compact Conference at Columbus State Community College.
'This group has come together and said, okay, we're uniquely central Ohio. We have different opportunities now, and we're trying to attract different opportunities to come our way. So how can we make sure that we're providing the type of workforce, taking advantage of the opportunities?' said Tressel.
The conference aims to increase the amount of students getting degrees and certificates and eventually successful careers. 'What we need is for everyone to increase their excellence. Everyone just get a little bit better, turn out a few more four year degrees. We got to get a few more two year degrees. We need a few more people credentialed,' he said.
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Tressel has been traveling all over Ohio as part of developing Ohio's Workforce Playbook, aimed at creating a plan to retain talent in Ohio and recruiting more. He met with education and business leaders in areas like Cincinnati, Dayton and Youngstown to learn about specific workforce needs of each region. He said one concern from business is that new employees are coming in with job skills but not personal skills.
'Make sure that our young people coming out of education, coming out of training, have those basic skills of that resiliency when times are a little tough, that work ethic, that punctuality, that willingness to collaborate, listen, learn, curious, creative,' Tressel said.
He said the state is at a time where there are many jobs and opportunities open but not enough people are aware of what all it offers.
'These are elementary, middle school and high school kids and to hear them talk about how they never realized what kinds of jobs are out there, what kind of technology, what kind of opportunities,' said Tressel
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