In Demand Jobs Week brings businesses and employees together
Last spring Justin Gerber was a Smithville High School senior. He had decided to incorporate the Wayne County Schools Career Center RAMTEC program into his schedule.
For prospective employers, high school seniors and community members seeking work, In Demand Jobs Week provides opportunities to learn about area employment and make connections that may lead to a job.
In Demand Jobs Week is May 6-10. It is a statewide celebration of jobs, industries and skills that are currently in demand in Ohio.
The week of activities kicked off with the Wayne County Career Expo on May 3. The expo had taken place as a community jobs fair for several years before community partners connected it with the week-long, state-wide initiative to introduce job seekers to opportunities in fields that are currently in demand in Ohio.
“The Ohio Department of Education, OhioMeansJobs and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation worked together to create the week-long awareness drive,” said Beth Gaubatz, consultant and career connections coordinator at the Tri County Educational Service Center. “They passed legislation on it and asked that businesses, communities and schools partner together to raise awareness during the first full week of May each year.”
Gaubatz explained some businesses hold open houses while school districts often take field trips or have speakers.
“Communities are encouraged to partner and plan engaging events and activities during this time to inspire excitement and awareness among students and job seekers,” she said.
According to Gaubatz, the OhioMeansJobs office promotes the events for adult job seekers. Career Connections and the Tri County Educational Service Center collaborate with area schools for student participation.
Last spring Justin Gerber was a Smithville High School senior. He had decided to incorporate the Wayne County Schools Career Center RAMTEC program into his schedule.
Today he is out of school with a job he found partially through last year’s In Demand Jobs Week kick-off career expo.
RAMTEC’s mission is to provide a technically trained, highly skilled workforce to promote the creation and expansion of business and industry through robotics and advanced manufacturing technologies.
Gerber chose the robotics option of the program that included both theoretical and hands-on training.
“I had taken beginner robotics classes in high school and didn’t want to go to college,” he said, adding that he may go on to college at a later time. “It seemed interesting, so I thought I’d try this robotics thing.”
Drew Fuller is the RAMTEC robotics and automation instruction at the career center. “Justin was a great student and now is an excellent employee,” Fuller said. “He is attentive, ambitious, hard-working, detail-oriented and committed to his work and trade.”
Last year was the first for Fuller to bring his students to the career expo, and it’s an opportunity he plans to continue every year. “I know five of my students last year received job offers that very day,” he said.
It was during the school year Gerber first met representatives from Magni Power Company. At the career expo he filled out an application and a few weeks later was hired. “I started work July 9,” Gerber said.
Gerber said having the opportunity to go to the career center and then meet representatives from a variety of companies helped him in obtaining employment. “It showed me all the options I had,” he said. “You could compare and contrast companies.”
OhioMeansJobs is the coordinator and primary organizer of the career expo kick-off to In Demand Jobs Week. Crystal Brown is the workforce administrator for the Wayne County Department of Job & Family Services/OhioMeansJobs Wayne County.
Brown said during In-Demand Jobs Week, Wayne County jobs will be highlighted on the event Facebook page.
The organization services businesses, adults and youth over age 14 and is a resource for businesses in need of employees and community members looking for employment.
“We provide a variety of services to meet needs such as career counseling, training and the Community Resource Center, where we feature Wayne County job postings, resume assistance, educational materials, etcetera,” Brown said.
“I would say that if you don’t know what you want to go to college for,” Gerber said, “then don’t go. At least look at other possibilities because there are a lot of options.”
At age 19 Gerber has a job he enjoys. If he decides to go to college, he’ll receive assistance from his employer. He said, “It’s worked out well for me.”
Businesses interested in getting involved or individuals in need of assistance in locating employment may call OhioMeansJobs Wayne County at 330-264-5060 or visit www.everybodyworks.org/wayne/.