BAC Plan 2025 2026 (1) - Flipbook - Page 13
members of the Northeast Ohio Workforce Connect. Our membership is expanding by adding the
Executive Directors of our local Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development Directors. Both are
experts in the needs of the local business community and have well established contacts with business
leaders. Our local college partners have expanded their focus on business partnerships and we will connect
with their new departments to ensure alignment.
As we look to continually grow and enhance our membership, we refer to the data from JobsOhio,
OhioMeansJobs and Chambers of Commerce to identify where our region needs a stronger talent pool.
This will afford us the ability to respond to that need by engaging those industries on our committee. This
data can also assist higher education in identifying areas that may need stronger career pathways to their
institutions.
How will the council draw feedback from business and industry to inform decisionmaking?
As we begin our year, we will be able to reach out to local business and industry through a series of
engagement activities. We plan to create and issue surveys targeted to local employers to gather broad
input on skills, certifications, and hiring trends. From the data received from the surveys, we intend to hold
a series of Listening Sessions where we will conduct in-depth conversations with small groups of
employers by career field, about specific skill needs and employment gaps. We will also create a common
agenda item for the multiple councils utilized by Auburn Career Center and our local Districts that will
focus on collecting input on skills gaps. This information will be helpful as compared to regional
workforce data to validate trends.
What is the business advisory council’s plan to utilize feedback and guidance from business and
industry partners to increase skills for students and educators?
By systematically using industry feedback, the council ensures that students graduate with
workforce-ready skills and educators receive ongoing professional growth, creating a stronger talent
pipeline for employers.With the feedback that we receive from Listening Sessions and one-to-one
conversations, we will identify skill gaps between current program outcomes and employer expectations.
This will enable us to prioritize emerging technologies, certifications, and workplace competencies that are
critical for employability. This information will also assist us in developing training sessions around the
identified needs for educators to revise/create relevant curricula. As we engage our local higher education
partners, we will be able to identify gaps in training and build stronger connections for students to either
directly exit to work or transition to higher education.
How will identified industry partners co-develop relevant in-demand skills for students and educators?
The work from our Business Advisory Committee can assist with developing relevant in-demand skills by
directly shaping learning experiences around real workforce needs. We will provide a forum for our
