She added that KTH has about 900 full-time associates, 130 of them “retirement eligible.”
The ESG team oversees the maintenance of KTH’s 1,100 robots and troubleshooting of mechanical and electrical issues. Bernardi and Boggs are the first interns that KTH has assigned to work in the ESG department, though the company has had engineering internships for several years, Wead said. In the Advanced Manufacturing Program at Triad, both interns completed classes in robotics, CNC, manufacturing operations and advanced manufacturing. Their Advanced Manufacturing teacher, Todd Bodey, made them aware of the internship opportunity at KTH. “I’m not sure where this will take me,” Boggs said, “but the robotics will be very interesting. I’m looking forward to working with everyone here.” Bernardi said he also is looking forward to working with the ESG team. “I love problem solving.” The CEP has coordinated other job signing ceremonies for graduates and students at ORBIS, Bundy Baking Solutions and Rittal. The events, patterned after signing ceremonies that colleges conduct for new student athletes, are part of the CEP’s workforce development initiatives. The CEP has been partnering with employers and local schools to better inform students about local employment opportunities and to help schools prepare students for the local workforce. KTH Parts Industries Inc. makes underbody structural frame components for cars and is Champaign County’s largest manufacturing employer. KTH is a Tier 1 supplier of automotive components worldwide.
0 Comments
Champaign County gets visitors, and soon they’ll have a place to stay, too.
While estimates show that both counties experienced declining populations over the last several years, the worst may be coming to an end, Bill LaFayette, an economist and owner of Regionomics, a Columbus-based economics and workforce consulting firm said.
The estimated population for Clark County in 2018 was 134,585, down slightly from 134,649 in 2017. In Champaign County, it was 38,754 in 2018 as compared to 38,824 in 2017. “When you look at the chart, the big story is this,” LaFayette said. “Although Clark County is losing population, it’s losing population at a slower rate than it once was.” LaFayette is right — and the same statement rings true for Champaign County as well Between 2015 and 2016 alone, Clark County’s estimated population dropped by more than 1,000 residents. In Champaign County, between 2010 and 2016, the county lost an estimated 1,358 residents. However, between 2016 and 2018, Clark County lost just 116 residents. Champaign only lost an estimated 70 residents during that same time period. Officials in Clark and Champaign counties and LaFayette have pointed to two things they say has slowed population declines over the last three years; jobs and cost of living. Economic development “I would guess the reason for the decline slowing is the economy,” LaFayette said. “More jobs are popping up.” Jobs are the biggest factor when it comes to why a resident moves to, or from, an area, LaFayette said. So far in 2019, the unemployment rate has continued to fall, according to data by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 percent in Clark County in March, down 1.3 percent since the start of the year. In Champaign, it has dropped 1.1 percent for the year, finishing at 3.4 percent in March. Melanie Flax Wilt, Clark County commissioner, said within the last couple of years, Clark County has turned its attention to workforce development. “Workforce development is huge for us,” Flax Wilt said. “We’ve been focused on bringing new jobs here.” The decision to focus more on economic development is bolstered by a 2018 labor market analysis conducted by the University of Cincinnati Economic Center in collaboration with the Chamber of Greater Springfield. The analysis found about 54 percent of residents in Clark County travel to neighboring counties for work. About 20 percent of residents surveyed for the study told researchers they travel to other counties because they don’t believe jobs are available in Clark County in their industry. Around 44 percent of those surveyed cited better wages in other counties. Flax Wilt said people in Clark County have come together over the course of the last couple of years. “It’s an exciting time in Clark County. I see it everywhere I go. I believe people recognize that we are trying to make positive changes,” Flax Wilt said. “People recognize that this county has a lot to offer.” Cost of living Bryan Heck, Springfield city manager, said living in Clark County allows people to “see their dollar going further.” “I think it’s an attractive area to them,” Heck said. “We’ve worked to bring additional jobs and that helps, of course, but the cost of living is also low compared to other regions.” Steven Hess, Champaign County Commissioner, agrees. “Whether it’s a lower cost of living or a job, it doesn’t matter,” Hess said. “Whatever gets people here.” A low cost of living is what brought Gerard Milewski and his family to Springfield. Milewski said he, his wife and their two children, ages 3 and 10, moved to Springfield in 2017 from Cincinnati. “Being able to buy a home for cheap was a huge selling point,” Milewski said. Because of low cost of living, Milewski said he doesn’t see the population decline as a bad thing. “The population decline doesn’t bother me,” Milewski said. “I think it encourages people to move to the community, people like me, to move here and put money into a home.” Homes in Clark and Champaign counties sold quicker in 2018 than in 2017, according to statistics gathered by Western Regional Information Systems & Technology, an Ohio-based company that monitors real estate trends, including in Clark and Champaign. Data from WRIST shows that 364 homes were sold last year in Clark County, up 23 from 2017, and 380 homes were sold in Champaign, up 15 from 2017. It was a transition settling into a smaller community, Milewski said, but since then his family has enjoyed living in Springfield. “The city has potential,” Milewski said. “I’ve seen smaller communities, like Springfield, in Cincinnati turn into big cities, and I think the city and the county do a good job of focusing on local issues.” Because Clark County is a smaller county, Milewski said, it can allow local governments to focus on more localized issues. “In Cincinnati, the city government is focused on major league sports teams, stuff like that, which in the long run doesn’t really affect every day people,” Milewski said. “Here, the county — local government — they are focused on small businesses and how to improve life for the average person.” Marcia Bailey, Director of the Champaign Economic Partnership, said counties across Ohio, like Clark and Champaign counties, should focus on marketing themselves to, “the average person.” “We need to make certain we are marketing ourselves to attract and increase our population,” Bailey said. In marketing themselves, counties should play on their strengths, Bailey said. “The lifestyle, career choices, new schools, growing up here and now retiring, wanting to live in a more relaxed community with a lower cost of living,” Bailey said. “I see a positive indication in our population that we are building on things like that.” It tells ‘more about your community’ While there are theories as to why the population in Clark and Champaign counties might be leveling off, more concrete answers probably won’t be available until late 2020, when results of the national decennial census will be released. Although the U.S. Census Bureau carries out hundreds of surveys every year, like population estimates, its most well known duty is still to conduct the decennial census. According to the Census Bureau’s website, a decennial census: determines the distribution of Congressional seats; makes planning decisions about community services such as where to build new roads and how to distribute more than $675 billion in federal funds to local and state governments; and provides age information for social security and other retirement benefits. “It controls a lot,” LaFayette said. It also allows people to better understand their communities, LaFayette said. “The census can tell you the characteristics of the population, earnings, education level, age distribution, whether or not people have been working, where people have been working,” LaFayette said. That’s why, he said, it’s important for residents to participate in the count taken every 10 years. “It tells you more about your community than anything else,” LaFayette said. Contact this reporter at 937-328-0329 or email [email protected]. CLARK, CHAMPAIGN POPULATION ESTIMATES COMPARED TO 10 YEARS AGO 139,404 Clark County estimated population in 2008 134,585 Clark County estimated population in 2018 40,263 Champaign County estimated population in 2008 38,754 Champaign County estimated population in 2018 SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU COMMITTED COVERAGE The Springfield News- Sun is committed to covering economic growth in Clark and Champaign counties.
Key development projects
Thanks to economic development investments by private businesses working with the CEP, Urbana – for the first time ever – ranked 41st in the Site Selection magazine’s 2017 list of top U.S. micropolitan communities. Recent successes include the new Navistar distribution center, Memorial Health’s medical building, expansion of Weidmann Electrical Technology, opening of Nutrien Ag Solutions, Sutphen Corporation’s new Service, Parts and Refurbishment Center, expansion of Old Souls Farms hydroponic operations, expansion of Advanced Technology Products and purchase of the former Robert Rothschild Farm property. Champaign County manufacturing jobs have grown from under 3,000 jobs in 2013 to nearly 4,000 in 2018. Major projects for 2019 include:
The CEP is partnering with schools and businesses in numerous ways to help make sure Champaign County has the skilled workforce required by new and expanding businesses. Results of these partnerships include:
Future development
For more information, call the CEP at 937-653-7200 or browse CEPOhio.com.
Makes good use of vacant building
Employers in Clark & Champaign counties have jobs to fill now
Amy Donahoe, director of Workforce Development with the Chamber of Greater Springfield, said the falling unemployment rate is an example of Clark County continuing to see businesses hire and grow.
“We are seeing individuals becoming employed right away when businesses are hiring,” Donahoe said. “There is no reason for people not be working right now.” Donahoe said the Chamber is focusing to tap into the workforce within Clark County to keep residents working close to home. “We have a lot of people living here but working outside of the area,” Donahoe said. “We are working on keeping people here and helping people find work closer to home.” Bill LaFayette, an economist and owner of Regionomics, a Columbus-based economics and workforce consulting firm, said the unemployment rate for Clark County is good. LaFayette said that Ohio DJFS does not seasonally adjust, or account for seasonal patterns that include summer hiring, major holiday hiring and school schedules. State and national figures are adjusted for those factors. Statewide, Ohio’s unemployment rate dipped slightly to 4.4 percent, down 0.2 percent from February, according to the OJFS. The nationwide unemployment rate remained steady at 3.8 percent, continuing its downward trend. “If we are looking at seasonally adjusted numbers, unemployment still went down from 4.2 in February, to 4 in March,” LaFayette said about Clark County’s unemployment numbers. In Champaign County, the unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in March, down from 3.8 percent in February. Marcia Bailey, director of the Champaign Economic Partnership, said the county’s unemployment numbers are, “great news.” “These numbers are great, but there is a flip side to this story,” Bailey said. “The other side is that there are still jobs that need to be filled and companies that are hiring right now.” Companies across Champaign County are looking to fill positions right now, Bailey said. “We want people to understand that there are jobs available and we encourage them to come and see us,” Bailey said. “We want to help everyone find their career.” Contact this reporter at 937- 328-0329 or email Riley. [email protected]. MORE DETAILS CLARK COUNTY March: 4.1 percent February: 4.6 percent January: 5.4 percent CHAMPAIGN COUNTY March: 3.4 percent February: 3.8 percent January: 4.5 percent
Workforce development is a major focus of the CEP, she said. Following are examples of how the CEP and its partners are strengthening the local workforce:
Business Liaison Ashley Cook, who teaches Ohio Hi-Point Career Center’s Supply Chain Management program at Urbana High School, coordinates activities that bring schools, students and businesses together throughout Champaign County. This includes job fairs, in-school presentations by businesses and spreading the word about internships, job shadowing opportunities and job openings. Nancee Starkey, human resources generalist at Bundy Baking Solutions, said that Cook helped her set up presentations at Graham, Urbana and Triad high schools. She added that a few Graham seniors are working second shift at Bundy while they finish their studies.
Ruhe added that Triad High School graduate Zack Zizzo, who was in the Ohio Hi-Point Advanced Manufacturing program, is now working at Orbis as a paid intern while he completes the two-year mechanical engineering technology program at Clark State Community College – with tuition assistance from Orbis. He will continue working at Orbis after he graduates in June. Ruhe said that Orbis met Zizzo at a local Manufacturing Day event where he presented a 3D printing project he worked on at Triad.
Also, Urbana University is working with employers to:
|
Archives
February 2024
Categories
All
|