Columbus, OH – As Ohio prepares to celebrate Labor Day and Ohio’s workers, The Buckeye Institute is out with a new policy brief, Expanding Ohio’s Workforce Pipeline, that offers specific policy recommendations Ohio lawmakers can adopt to prepare workers for the in-demand, high-skilled jobs that 21st century employers need to fill.

“Ohio has made remarkable strides toward prosperity and economic advancement in recent years; however, it still struggles to train and retain a ready-to-hire workforce,” said Greg R. Lawson, a senior research fellow at The Buckeye Institute and the author of Expanding Ohio’s Workforce Pipeline. “By adopting the commonsense reforms outlined by The Buckeye Institute, Ohio will enhance skills training, attract qualified workers, and help Ohio remain atop national business rankings.”

Without a labor force built for the 21st century, Ohio risks losing the economic ground it has gained. To avoid that outcome, Ohio should:

• Increase State Share of Instruction (SSI) Outcomes-Based Funding: Ohio should increase the share of the state’s higher education funding formula to reward schools for job placement, low loan default rates, and healthy debt-to-income ratios for their graduates, and work toward a fully outcome-based SSI appropriation.
• Develop Public-Private Partnerships to Expand Opportunities: Under Ohio Senate Bill 462, Ohio has proposed creating a “qualified education partnership” program that allows colleges and universities to work with private employers to develop degrees and certificate programs aligned with specific employer needs. 
• Utilize Workforce Pell Grants: The Workforce Pell Grant program ties federal dollars to building human capital and developing employable skills, helping more ready-to-work employees enter the job market faster and with less debt.

By adopting these Buckeye-Institute-championed recommendations, lawmakers can build on Ohio’s solid economic foundation and make the state even more attractive to employers and their employees.

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