40. Community Need Ohio's workforce competitiveness challenges have been extensively documented in the economic development literature in our community. Ohio has enjoyed remarkable success in attracting top-tier employers to expand and/or relocate to various parts of the state. Across the Dayton Communities, we have recently witnessed announcements of expansions and the establishment of new high-tech industries, such as GM Duramax, Sierra Nevada Corporation, JOBY Aviation, Honda EV, Intel for defense applications, and new missions at Wright-Patterson AFB. The success of these new and expanding businesses will primarily hinge on the availability of a skilled workforce, which these premium employers will require. Without a skilled workforce, the economic vitality of the state and the success of these top employers will be compromised.

Several major factors influence Ohio's workforce competitiveness, including:

1. A declining population and the migration of young talent to other regions of the country.
2. Disparities in STEM-based exposure and educational experiences for underserved, underrepresented, and community members with limited access to technical careers and resources.
3. The absence of an effective immigration program and a strategy for engaging new Americans to pursue careers in science and technology.

Why should Ohioans care? The Dayton region, our state, and the nation are currently confronting substantial workforce challenges. Commencing in 2025, we will witness a decline in the size of high school graduating classes in the United States, a trend expected to persist through 2050 and potentially beyond. In tandem with this demographic shift, the aging baby boomer generation, the last of whom are now retiring from the workforce, and the resurgence of manufacturing industries through reshoring and in-shoring, coupled with the growth of new sectors like electric cars and electric air mobility systems in our region, present remarkable opportunities for workers in Ohio, regardless of age or background, who are willing to acquire, update, and enhance their skills to meet the evolving job demands.

Numerous in-demand career areas, including engineering, information technology, data analytics, health sciences, and cybersecurity, are projecting substantial job growth and foreseeing workforce shortages. These careers engage workers at various skill levels, from entry-level certificates and stackable credentials to professional 2 and 4-year college degrees. Meeting these workforce needs necessitates well-defined career pathways, with a crucial emphasis on ensuring that all students receive a solid STEM foundation and preparation, enabling them to pursue a diverse range of new career opportunities.

The data underscores the magnitude of talent needed to support the demand for jobs, projected at around 20,000 per year for the foreseeable future, across the Dayton region. This figure is in addition to an existing pool of nearly 30,000 unfilled vacancies that require annual replenishment. Many of these in-demand positions call for specific certificates, stackable credentials, or an associate degree to secure a sustainable wage job. The good news is that certificates and credentials can be attained, typically within 4 to 6 months, enabling individuals to start working while continuing their skill development through credential, associate or 4yr degree programs.

As previously mentioned, the absence of a skilled workforce could compromise the state's economic vitality and jeopardize the success of these premium employers, potentially leading to an exodus to regions of the United States equipped with a readily available skilled workforce.