Last week, our team had the pleasure of attending SHIFT Conference 2026 hosted by Shift Work Forward in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This national conference put workforce development at center stage for two days of discussion, exploration, and idea sharing with organizations from across the country.

Our region is a network partner of Shift Work Forward through the Talent Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati, and I'm so pleased to serve as the Talent Collaborative's Steering Committee Chair, working to connect regional partners on shared workforce goals.The Cincinnati region had a strong presence at this year’s conference, with 17 members of our Workforce and Talent Ecosystem in attendance diving into new ideas to bring back to our communities and networking with peers, employers and funders from across the US. 

The conference featured impactful sessions on industry sector partnerships, job quality, and career navigation, along with interactive “sojourns” that brought attendees to local Albuquerque organizations to see these concepts in action. I also had the opportunity to lead an interactive session alongside Alex Hertzer and Lisa Patt-McDaniel focused on WorkOhio and how the program gives each region the flexibility to develop a customized approach for serving job seekers and employers. The session sparked discussion about how other communities might adopt collaborative approaches to workforce development based on local needs.

The SHIFT conference reminded me how vital collaboration is for building strong, sustainable workforce systems and reinforced the cornerstone principle of our regional workforce and talent engine, collaboration strengthens workforce systems and creates more opportunities for individuals. No single organization can address every workforce need, and our region’s ecosystem is made stronger when organizations function together as interconnected pieces of a whole. Thanks to the Shift Work Forward team and our local partners to continuing to advance our work to benefit people, partners and employers!

WORKOHIO

​This month on Cincy Lifestyle, Erik Thomas, Vice President of Economic Empowerment and Military & Veterans Services at Easterseals Redwood, joined Michelle Hopkins to share how Easterseals Redwood, Building Value Construction Training Program, and WorkOhio are serving job seekers at all levels and connecting them to resources and opportunities.

We are proud to partner with Easterseals Redwood on WorkOhio as they continue to meet individuals where they are and provide personalized supports that help them overcome barriers and find career success.

Check out the full interview to learn how Easterseals Redwood and WorkOhio are helping Southwest Ohio job seekers reach their full potential.

WORKFORCE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

We are so pleased to share that The Talent Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati has officially launched its new website, talentcollaborativegc.org, supported by a three year American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) investment from the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. 

The site was unveiled on September 16, 2026, at the third annual Regional Workforce & Talent Summit and is designed to serve as a shared resource for employers, educators, workforce organizations and community partners across Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana. 

Check out the site to learn more about the region’s workforce ecosystem, see where work is already happening and find practical ways to get involved. 

FEATURED EVENT

Join the Chamber's Center for Research & Data for the 2026 State Of the Region Release at the Cincinnati Art Museum on October 15th from 8:30 to 11:30 am . The event will bring the latest findings to life, providing historical and national benchmarks that put our region’s progress, challenges, and opportunities into context for business and civic leaders.

This year’s event will extend the conversation beyond the report presentation through discussions with local industry experts and community leaders from peer regions and a spotlight discussion focused on Transportation and Warehousing across the Cincinnati Region. 

Don't miss this opportunity to explore the State of the Region and uncover where we're heading next. 

FROM THE CHAMBER

Join regional business and community leaders on November 12 for the Fifth Third Bank Leadership Symposium. This year’s theme, The Science of Inclusive Leadership, features keynote speaker Dr. Janet Ahn, behavioral scientist and author of Learning that CLICS, presenting The Leadership Playbook is Broken: What Does it Take to Lead?

Through keynote insights, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, attendees will discover how behavioral science shapes leadership, explore a shared language for inclusive leadership, and develop actionable strategies for integrating inclusion into leadership development and organizational culture.

Learn more and claim your spot today!

NOW HIRING

CVG Airport and campus employers are looking to connect with regional job seekers at their annual Campus Career Fair!

Join over 70 CVG campus employers on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 3:30pm - 6:30pm at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming to learn about the many open positions across the airport's campus and explore how employment at CVG can help you, or the individuals you serve, reach new career heights. 

NEWS OF INTEREST

'Coded language' in job postings is driving away talent – Cincinnati Business Courier

The AI pay premium is going entirely to one class of workers – Cincinnati Business Courier

Are you committed to your company or your team? – The Economist

The People Who Will Thrive in the AI Age – The Atlantic

Hope for the American Dream Linked to Views of K-12 Schools - Gallup

Amazon spends $1 billion to increase pay and lower health care costs for US workers – Yahoo Finance

Scoop: Region's aviation industry is getting another big boost - Axios

Half of Workers Would Take a Pay Cut for Job Security - SHRM