Ohio’s Office of Workforce Transformation wants students to think about their future, before they start high school.  Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has created a resource that provides information for students, parents, and teachers about the different career pathways available to Ohio students.   The “Find Your Career Pathway” video shows middle and high school students the opportunities they have which will take them down the path of towards higher education or a job when they graduate. 

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who serves as the Director of InnovateOhio, announced the launch of the new electronic system for entering warrants and protection orders into state and national databases. DeWine ordered the development of the eWarrants technology after it was discovered that an untold number of Ohio arrest warrants and protection orders were slow to be or never entered into state and national law enforcement databases.

Under the Trump administration, Ohio was able to get a waiver that would require able-bodied people, who don’t have any children, to either work twenty hours a week or get job training for their Medicaid health benefits. The work requirements were supposed to start on January 1, 2021, but with the pandemic, the start date was delayed. In August, the federal government told Ohio they cannot go ahead with this plan because it goes outside the bounds of how Medicaid was set up. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted believes that having work requirements is beneficial to everyone involved.

One thing that was evident during the pandemic was the lack of broadband access to some rural parts of the state. Ohio will invest $250 million to make improvements for this area. The budget also invests millions into technical training to get people the skills they need to fill the thousands of jobs available in Ohio right now. Husted says there is also half a billion dollars that will be used to clean up old industrial sites, to turn them into new businesses sites, housing sites, or parks.

The budget proposed by Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted included over $1 billion to help strengthen and grow Ohio communities and businesses. Besides investing in sectors that have been especially hard-hit by the pandemic, including bars and restaurants, entertainment venues, and tourism. The budget also includes money to help Ohio students get the skills and trained to fill the open jobs around the state. But only if lawmakers keep the money in the budget.

The State of Ohio is letting people know what some of the highest in demand jobs are statewide.  From May 3rd through the 7th, Ohio will be holding a virtual In-Demand Jobs week which will spotlight some of the industries and careers that are most need of employees.   To help with that, the state created the website www.topjobs.ohio.gov. The website not only shows what are the most in demand career fields but gives people the information to make decisions about their future. 

Ohio leaders are hoping the Senate changes its mind when it comes to the formula to dividing up the $350 billion for state and local funding. In past relief packages, funding amounts were based on the state's population size, but the new one is based on the state's unemployment rate for December. Ohio is the 7th highest state in population but would be 21st in funding if it is based on the 5.5% unemployment rate in December, which could cost the state $800 million in funding.

Ohioans with certain conditions they were either born with or diagnosed as a child and carried into adulthood can get the COVID vaccine starting this week.The state has identified 14 conditions that face a significantly higher risk for adverse outcomes to COVID-19.  Those include people born with heart defects or diagnosed young with epilepsy and organ transplant candidates and recipients.  Plus, those 65 years and older can get the vaccine too.