Apprenticeships, education help bridge skills gap in Lancaster

LANCASTER – When Matt Claypool is looking for electrician apprentices, he turns to career-technical programs in Fairfield County.

"Those guys have such a leg up when they come in and start working for us," said Claypool, vice president of operations at Claypool Electric. Students come prepared with soft skills, such as wearing personal protective equipment.

Claypool uses a four-year apprenticeship program with thousands of hours of on-the-job training and classroom experience in the lab to limit the skills gap in his business. The company pays workers during their apprenticeships and invests significant time in the program, but that frequently pays off, he added.

"Once somebody gets entrenched, the majority of people will stay. It lowers our turnover rate. We can train them how we want them to be trained," Claypool said.

Across Ohio, communities are working to connect employers with skilled employees by identifying where candidates' skills are lacking, building relationships between employers and schools, creating niche programs and inspiring children to look at local industries when selecting a career.

The Governor's Office of Workforce Transformation creates regular reports on in-demand jobs, provides career advice through one-stop centers in each county and creates incentives for businesses that work with educational institutions. Last year, six pilot programs received grants to place more than 75 percent of the 500 trainees into jobs by the end of the programs, which range from training health care workers in Appalachian Ohio to insurance workers in central Ohio.

In Licking County, a new program took dozens of high school students on tours of three local manufacturers to educate them about job opportunities in their area. In Ross County, an area business invested in the hospital's education of nurses to stem the demand for skilled health care workers.

Locally, Claypool said, he wished there were more outlets for students interested in skilled trades. The Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools are too far for Lancaster or Groveport students interested in after-school activities like football, he added.

That's the type of feedback the Fairfield 33 Development Alliance is looking for from businesses. The group commissioned a survey, which was sent to 60 area employers, to ask companies what they are looking for in the people they hire and what would help them find those people, said Bob Clark, director of Fairfield County Economic Development.

Once the surveys are completed, the alliance will review what services are lacking and how educational institutions from Ohio University's Lancaster campus to the Eastland Fairfield Career Center can address those gaps, Clark said.

"It's kind of a communication tool to make sure all the schools are on the same page, and we are communicating with each other," Clark said.

The county has a more successful workforce when business leaders and educators are on the same page, said Travis Markwood, president of the Lancaster-Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce. The survey, which is not yet completed, should help with that.

Social services can provide assistance through training, but there are limitations. Individuals must make less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level and work with a career adviser to search for jobs. Anyone with marketable skills won't receive funding for training, said Corey Clark, chief deputy director of workforce and child support in Fairfield County.

"It's unfortunate because there are some opportunities for entry level to mid-level workers, but right now the program and our funding focus on those that don't have much experience or education," Clark said.

So, a person is almost better off with no marketable skills if they want their training paid through federal dollars, Clark said.

Some people can't afford to take a year off work to complete a welding program that might lead to more money and security, Clark said.

"To get the full training, it's a year-long program and typically all day. It would be difficult to work a job and do the training at the same time," Clark said. State-tested nursing aide and commercial driver's license programs are popular because they can be completed while a person is still receiving food and other assistance, he added.

jbalmert@gannett.com

740-328-8548

Twitter: @jbalmert

Looking for a job?

Details about local job openings are available at OhioMeansJobs.com.

Teens interested in learning more about careers in the area can check out 2015 Teen Opportunity Expo from 4 to 6 p.m. April 1 at Ohio University-Lancaster, 1570 Granville Pike. Representatives will share information about the type of work they do, what training is required and current job opportunities.

For information, call OhioMeansJobs-Fairfield County Center at 740-652-7856.