Building STARs in Southwest Ohio: How Great Oaks Prepares Career-Ready Graduates
Great Oaks Career Campuses, one of the largest public career-technical school districts in the country, offers STAR opportunities for students in southwest Ohio. This includes training and education in information technology, dental assisting, manufacturing engineering, surgical sterile processing, construction, automotive and EV technology, aviation maintenance, exercise science and sports medicine, digital arts and design, equine and livestock management, and more
Fair Chance Blog Series: What is Fair Chance Hiring?
This post kicks off our Fair Chance blog series; a collection of stories, information, and practical examples about what it means to build a more honest, effective, and humane hiring system here in Cincinnati and Hamilton County. “Fair Chance” or “justice-impacted” individuals are those whose lives have intersected with the criminal legal system, whether through arrest, conviction, or incarceration.
Lt. Governor Tressel Makes First Stop of WorkOhio Kickoff Tour in Cincinnati
(CINCINNATI, Ohio)—Ohio Lt. Governor Jim Tressel traveled to Cincinnati today for the first stop of his statewide WorkOhio Kickoff Tour.
WorkOhio is a new initiative to connect Ohioans with in-demand jobs in their area through personalized support from teams of regional job experts. The program was announced by Lt. Governor Tressel last week.
Great Oaks Career Campuses: How Ohio’s Career-Technical Education Creates Job Ready Talent
The American workforce is filled with STARs. That is, the workforce is filled with individuals who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes—those whose career path didn’t include a bachelor’s degree. Public CTE districts like Great Oaks are designed to give students the opportunity to receive advanced training and earn professional certifications at no cost to be ready for their chosen career the day they graduate from high school.
Finding Your Place: The Cincinnati State Experience
When people think of community colleges, they often envision a stepping stone, a brief stop on the way to something bigger. However, at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, we believe our institution is more than a mere waypoint; it is a thriving community where students not only lay the groundwork for their careers but also find a sense of belonging that extends beyond the classroom and into the workplace.
Employer Tours: Jostin Construction & Brewster Pumping
On October 10, 2025, the Workforce Innovation Center and our workforce partners had the pleasure of participating in an Employer Tour hosted by Jostin Construction and Brewster Pumping. Attendees were treated to a fantastic experience that included an interactive tour of the companies’ shared shop operation in Bond Hill, a catered lunch and boardroom presentation at Jostin HQ in Walnut Hills, and a construction tour of the new Cincinnati Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati.
The Power of Work, The Promise of Hope: The Beacon of Hope Business Alliance
Every neighborhood has potential waiting to be unlocked. Every person has strengths that can fuel growth, dignity, and belonging. At the Beacon of Hope Business Alliance, we believe that work is one of the greatest tools we have to restore opportunity and transform lives.
Building a Strong Regional Workforce: Four Workforce Investment Boards Driving Talent and Economic Growth
The Greater Cincinnati region’s economy crosses state and county lines, and so do its workforce challenges and opportunities. Four workforce investment boards (WIBs), serving Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati–Hamilton County, Southeast Indiana, and Butler–Clermont–Warren Counties, serve as workforce leaders in each of their jurisdictions and provide leadership, coordination, and resources to meet the needs of employers and jobseekers. Together, these WIBs form an interconnected system that ensures workers can access training and careers while employers connect with the talent they need.
The Ohio TechCred program is investing in the future of the Ohio workforce
In one of the greatest investments into skill development and organizational workforce in the history of our country, Ohio is leading by example with the TechCred program. Ohio leadership has recognized the importance of a technology skilled workforce, and they’ve supported their vision by making a significant financial investment. Since the program’s inception in 2019, the state has invested more than $151,000,000 into reimbursed tech training to Ohio organizations.
Women of Color in Tech – A Retrospective by Alena O’Donnell, Regional Project Director
At this moment in history, current news and events are riddled with tragedy and sadness so I want to break through all the “noise” and deliver stories of hope. “Antianna Beal was having difficulty finding a path that worked for her and was working at a Foot Locker when someone encouraged her to participate in the Workforce Innovation Center’s Women of Color in Tech program that was funded by JPMorganChase.
Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Workforce Innovation Center Releases the Second Gen Z in the Workforce in the Cincinnati Region Report
The Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Workforce Innovation Center has today released its second Gen Z in the Workforce in the Cincinnati Region white paper. Presented by Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, with support from Gateway Community and Technical College as Excellence Sponsor and Great Oaks Career Campuses as Training Partner Sponsor, the report spotlights Gen Z individuals who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs), meaning those choosing education and career pathways outside the four-year college degree.
Employer Tours: CVG
In July, the CVG Airport Authority hosted an Employer Tour at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). During this visit, we went on a comprehensive tour of areas at the airport dedicated to Airfield Maintenance, Public Safety, and the Operations Center, discussing career opportunities in those areas.
