The OBDC blog is a chance for Ohio executives to share their perspective on how locating in Ohio has enabled them to achieve both their professional and personal aspirations without having to sacrifice one for the other. Their stories will explain how, in Ohio, business success can be achieved in the broader context of a fulfilling life.
Ed Burghard, Executive Director of the Ohio Business Development Coalition, will facilitate the discussions with these leading Ohio executives. The Ohio Business Development Coalition is a nonprofit organization that provides marketing strategy and implementation to support Ohio's economic development.
Ed Burghard, Executive Director of the Ohio Business Development Coalition
May 7th, 2008, No Comments
Ohio's recently reformed tax initiative assists young businesses, especially startups, in providing them with extra capital to further enhance their services or products—even expand staff. The reformed initiative nourishes Ohio's businesses, but also supports outside entrepreneurs looking to call Ohio home.
I recently spoke with A.J. Hyland, president and CEO of Hyland Software Inc., about how Ohio's current tax initiative is helping small businesses to become sustainable and competitive in their respective markets.
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April 29th, 2008, No Comments
Ohio is going through quite an economic transformation—traditional manufacturing jobs are giving way to a new generation of workers sometimes referred to as "green collar" workers.
In order to make this transition, these more traditionally-trained workers are using their years of expertise in industries like automotive to make a foray into the green collar workforce.
Northwest Ohio is a great example of a region shedding its "Glass City" image and making great strides to transition into an emerging advanced energy industry. You may have seen some of the recent coverage in the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek.
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April 23rd, 2008, No Comments
A recent report released by the American Solar Energy Society predicts that as many as 175,000 Ohioans could have jobs related to advanced, renewable energy by 2030.
Through initiatives such as Ohio Governor Ted Strickland's Energy, Jobs and Progress plan, announced in 2007, Ohio is modernizing its energy infrastructure, ensuring affordable and stable energy prices and attracting renewable energy jobs of the future through an Advanced Energy Portfolio Standard.
The essential element, of course, is the continued focus on these skilled professionals who use their talents to improve the emerging renewable energy industry, and make up a new labor pool emerging as a result of the state's commitment to advanced energy.
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April 16th, 2008, No Comments
I've mentioned "green collar" jobs before, but it's worth bringing up again. The idea of an emerging green collar industry is more than just a few startup companies hoping to have an impact on the environment. It truly is a complete transformation from many traditional industry standards.
In order for the green collar industry to thrive, business leaders need more and more qualified workers to fill the jobs that are available today. Workers, even those who have spent decades in more traditional manufacturing jobs, are showing their desire to get hands-on, advanced training in emerging technologies like advanced, renewable energies.
A great example of an organization making huge strides to get this next generation of workers proper training is Hocking College in Southeast Ohio. Hocking College has just created a state-of-the-art Energy Institute where students have a choice of two associate degree programs in advanced energy. One program track focuses on fuel cells and alternative energy, such as solar and wind power, with students trained to construct, install, troubleshoot and test multiple types of alternative energy equipment. The other program concentrates on training technicians for alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles, including ones that use fuel cells in their electrical systems.
The 12,000-square-foot Energy Institute is being built across from the Logan-Hocking Industrial Park, about two miles from a key highway linking southeast Ohio to the center of the state. The hope is that an advanced energy training program nearby will draw alternative energy companies to the industrial park.
This program has already caught the attention of advanced energy companies. NexTech Materials Ltd., a Lewis Center-based developer and maker of components for fuel cells and sensors for fuel processing systems, has already hired eight graduates of Hocking College's advanced energy program.
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April 11th, 2008, No Comments
The term "green collar worker" has been getting a lot of attention lately.
The Washington Post has some great insight into the history and recent interest in the green collar industry.
It’s certainly top of mind for Ohioans. The state is staying well ahead of the game by improving its emerging advanced energy industry, and creating a new labor pool trained and qualified to meet the needs of the green collar industry.
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