Portman tours fab plant

HUBBARD

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Cincinnati, said he had a “productive” discussion on the economy, workforce development and tax reform Tuesday with a Chestnut Ridge Road manufacturer.

Portman toured Warren Fabricating and Machining and had a roundtable discussion with company leaders and employees, according to a release from Portman’s office.

“One of our most significant challenges is finding qualified candidates to fill open skilled labor positions at Warren Fabricating,” said Dawn Hill, human- resource manager. “Having qualified candidates that are job ready would eliminate the unproductive hours we can’t charge our customers that we spend training new employees who lack the basic manufacturing skills like welding and machining.”

Portman, co-chairman of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus, and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., last week introduced the JOBS Act, which would expand Pell Grant eligibility to short-term job training programs that feed the skilled trade market. The legislation was included in President Donald Trump’s executive budget for the coming fiscal year.