RIO GRANDE — Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel brought together business, education, and community leaders from southeast Ohio on Thursday for a roundtable discussion on the region’s workforce strengths and its needs.

Held at the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College, the roundtable marked the latest stop in Tressel’s ongoing series of community conversations to inform the development of Ohio’s Workforce Playbook.

“As we continue to travel across Ohio, it is inspiring to see firsthand the incredible work being done to train and grow our workforce at places like the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College and beyond,” Tressel said. “This is an exciting moment in our state’s history. So many businesses and opportunities are moving into or expanding in Ohio. We need to make the most of this moment.”

Tressel’s office said that, under the leadership of DeWine, the state has attracted a variety of economic development projects in recent years, which are bringing tens of thousands of new jobs to Ohio. 

To ensure the state’s workforce is trained and ready to fill these jobs, DeWine announced in his recent State of the State Address that Tressel would lead the administration’s effort to create Ohio’s Workforce Playbook.

By examining the needs and circumstances of Ohio’s various regions, Ohio’s Workforce Playbook will develop a plan to retain existing talent, recruit new talent to Ohio and rally Ohio’s existing workforce to greater productivity.

“That’s why we’re traveling around the state and holding roundtables and community conversations,” Tressel said. “We need to make sure we’re working together as a business and education community – aligning all of our efforts to not only prepare Ohioans for these amazing jobs, but to inspire them to stay and build their futures right here in Ohio.”

During the roundtable, representatives from the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College and major employers discussed workforce needs and strategies for strengthening Ohio’s talent pipeline.

Following the roundtable, Tressel joined Rio Grande President Ryan Smith for a tour of Davis Career Center.