State of Ohio has jobs problem but not in the traditional sense

Of all the numbers having to do with the state of Ohio’s job-creation and job-retention since the beginning of 2011 when Republican Gov. John Kasich took office, there’s one that is an eye-opener in this day and age. That number: 143,000 — which represents the jobs in the private sector that are going unfilled because employers can’t find the employees who can meet their needs.

The state has an unemployment rate of 5.6 percent, which means there are Ohioans who, for whatever reason, are not part of the workforce. So, why can’t they qualify for the positions listed in the state’s website, ohiomeansjobs.com?

There are many reasons, including some that we’ve heard locally. The inability of a goodly number of job-seekers to pass a drug test must be in the top tier.

Not too long ago, an executive of a national oil and gas drilling company was asked why there were so many out-of-staters involved in the shale play in this part of Ohio.

“We need people who are drug-free working at the drilling sites,” he said. “It’s challenging work, even for the most experienced rigger.”

The failure by many applicants to pass a drug test has been cited by others, including individuals on the local and state levels involved in job creation and retention.

Then there are positions that require specific qualifications, experience and skills, which Gov. Kasich has acknowledged is a challenge for employers.

100,000-plus JOBS UNFILLED

How big a problem is this?

Consider that the issue of unfilled jobs was raised by the governor and by top executives of JobsOhio in separate interviews with The Vindicator’s editors and writers.

Kasich, who is seeking a second four-year term in today’s general election, has been criticized by his Democratic opponent, Ed Fitz-Gerald, Cuyahoga County executive, for what he contends is Ohio’s anemic economic recovery. FitzGerald contends that the state has not kept pace with other comparable states in job creation.

But the governor counters that when he took office, Ohio had lost 350,000 jobs, which necessitated the implementation of unpopular but necessary initiatives to stop the downward spiral.

Those actions have resulted in 250,000 jobs being created since he has been in office, the governor says.

But while that political debate has raged, the reality of more than 100,000 jobs going unfilled demands a non-partisan, concerted response.

Executives of JobsOhio, a private, non-profit entity created by state law to replace the Ohio Department of Development, told us that steps are being taken to address the problems employers are having in finding workers with the right skill sets.

One solution, especially when it comes to jobs that require specialized knowledge and experience, is to market Ohio nationally and even globally.

The goal is to persuade prosective employees outside Ohio to move into the Buckeye State. That will require a coordinated effort on the part of business, labor and government.