OHIO Official cites importance of training in work force

Ohio must market its strengths, a state official said.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Employee training is one of the most important factors in improving the state's economy, said Bruce Johnson, director of the Ohio Department of Development.
Johnson spoke Monday at the city's business development initiative forum at The Renaissance Place, Palmyra Road.
The forum was organized by the city to discuss state funding opportunities that may be available for projects in the city to foster local business development, redevelopment projects, expansion and job creation.
City, business and community leaders attended.
Gov. Bob Taft and the development department have asked the Ohio General Assembly to double the budget for workforce training, Johnson said.
"We believe that's the key to the future for employees to make it," he said.
The era of an employee working for the same employer his or her whole working career and retiring from there with a full pension is over. We now live in a worldwide competitive market for labor, Johnson said.
Main focus
Ohio must focus on product development and marketing, he said. Ontario, Canada, for example, promotes itself to prospective manufacturing companies by touting that it's 20 percent cheaper to operate there than in the lower 48 states because of health insurance costs.
Johnson decried his department's marketing budget -- which he said is smaller than the marketing budget for Tipp City, Ohio, a small city in the southwestern part of the state. That's particularly frustrating in trying to get out word on the good things and improvements being made throughout the state, he said.
The state has more companies per capita active in the biotechnology industry than most of the nation.
Doug Franklin, city safety-service director, said the city also wrestles with the difficulties of a negative perception.
"We know we have a good community," he said. "We're better than the perception."
denise_dick@vindy.com