43
Williams cites skilled labor deficit
YOUNGSTOWN
Former Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, who works in the President Barack Obama administration, said local manufacturing companies have job openings, but there aren’t enough people in the Mahoning Valley with the skills and experience to fill them.
The local companies want machinists and welders, Williams told The Vindicator on Wednesday after a private meeting with owners of 10 area businesses at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s downtown office.
Owners of Brilex Industries and Panelmatic in Youngstown, Uniserv and United Steel Service in Brookfield, Warren Steel Specialties in Warren, and Star Manufacturing in Vienna, were among those at the meeting.
Williams said he wants to help the manufacturers coordinate efforts with Eastern Gateway Community College to develop a program to teach the skills needed for these jobs. The federal government could provide funding for equipment that would teach people how to be a machinist or welder, he said.
“Manufacturing has evolved very quickly and become specialized,” he said. “We have a pool of people with a strong work ethic in this area. We want to provide them with opportunities to improve.”
A program would need two to three years to be fully implemented, Williams said.
Williams resigned as mayor in August to become the director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers.
The job takes Williams around the country to discuss how areas devastated by auto-plant closings can make improvements.
Despite recent success stories in the Mahoning Valley — most notably V&M Star’s expansion and the Lordstown General Motors complex — Williams said the area is still on the White House’s radar as a location that still needs help growing its economy.
During his interview with The Vindicator, Williams expressed frustration with Republicans who disagree with Obama, a Democrat, solely because of politics.
“When you look at the president’s track record, it speaks to the fact that this isn’t a president that’s overzealous on regulations, this isn’t a president that’s anti-business,” he said.
The gross national product has increased nine consecutive quarters, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has increased 60 percent since Obama became president in 2009, and the unemployment rate is declining, Williams said.
“There are fewer regulations with this president than under the [George W.] Bush years,” Williams said.
“The perception and reality — there’s a gulf between them. Republicans have done a very good job of sticking” labels on Obama such as “job killer” and “over-regulator.”
“It drives me nuts that everything is a job-killing regulation” to the Republicans, he said.
While Republicans have successfully labeled Obama, Democrats “haven’t necessarily been as disciplined” with their message, Williams said.