The Business Case for Fair Chance Hiring: A Workforce Strategy Hiding in Plain Sight
Fair chance hiring is a strategic workforce strategy that expands access to talent, helps reduce turnover, lowers long-term hiring costs, and supports a more stable workforce. It also connects individuals who are ready to work with employers willing to invest in their success.
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.
Skills-Based Practices: Building a Talent Pipeline for the Future
Skills-based practices, also called skills-first practices, flips the script. Instead of asking “What degree do you have?” it asks, “What can you do?” It’s a simple but transformative idea: if someone has the skills, they should have the opportunity.
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.
“Teenternity” Leave: Time Off for Parents of Teens
Working parents realize the importance of supporting their children through the pivotal and often volatile teenage years, but many workplaces don’t offer the flexibility to step back from work outside of traditional maternity and paternity policies. “Teenternity Leave” represents an emerging workforce trend aimed to address this need for working parents.
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.
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.
Employer Tours: Pioneer Cladding & Glazing
On July 17, 2025 we had the pleasure of visiting Pioneer Cladding & Glazing for an Employer Tour. This visit focused on manufacturing opportunities at Pioneer’s shop facility in Mason, OH.
Employer Tours: altafiber
On June 23, 2025, we had the pleasure of visiting altafiber for an Employer Tour at their corporate headquarters in downtown Cincinnati. This visit focused on careers in Consumer Sales and Information Security; however, altafiber also provided a thorough overview the company’s culture and benefits for all prospective employees.
Three Ways Employers Can Connect with Gen Z Employees
As Gen-Z employees continue to enter the workforce and exert their influence, their unique perspectives and values will shape the future of workplaces, industries, and society at large.
Employer Tours: GMi Companies
Thanks to our partnership with Advanced Manufacturing Industry Partnership (AMIP), in May, the Workforce Innovation Center hosted an Employer Tour at GMi Companies, a leading visual communication products manufacturer based in Lebanon, OH.
Beyond Wages: A New Way to Understand Workforce Realities
In Hamilton County, a single parent with an infant would need to earn nearly $30 per hour just to meet their basic needs without public assistance. The new Self-Sufficiency Simulator from the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation offers a powerful, interactive way to better understand and improve the economic stability of our region’s workforce.
