ACQUIRING Talent Chambers of commerce can help employers.
T
50 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2022
options, such as on-site facilities. The goal is to aid parents who are concerned about child care and cost. In addition, innovative transportation options, such as developing independent bus service catering to dense areas of employees and potential employees, have also been developed. Public transportation is often inadequate, and one-car families are sometimes at a disadvantage. Lorain County companies, including Avient Corp. and Thogus Products, both in Avon Lake, work with the Lorain County Chamber to make it more convenient for employees to get to and from work, according to Gallo. The Lorain County Chamber of Commerce also focuses on what Gallo calls a “wider net of the minority pool, that includes African Americans, Hispanics, women, the LGBTQ community, disabled individuals, veterans and other historically underrepresented communities.” Education is also a major component for chambers that work with vocational schools, traditional high schools and institutions of higher learning to help students and their parents make wise career choices and help fill in-demand jobs.
Chambers are in an excellent position to help lessen the workforce crisis and help their members find those needed employees. According to Cindy Holzheimer, president and CEO of the Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce (NOACC), businesses can capitalize on their memberships for help in finding employees by:
Attending networking events “Making connections can go a long way in finding employee leads and what they are looking for. Good network and strong relationships equal lots of referrals.”
Participating in business showcases, trade shows and job fairs “Quite a few chambers are organizing and holding job fairs for the sole purpose of connecting job seekers with their next career.”
Evaluating your business with business assistance tools “There are many resources through local chambers to help any business make sure
ISTOCK
he Lorain County community was thrilled when Carvana, the innovative automotive retailer that sells new and used cars that can be “delivered” through giant vending machines, wanted to open a processing shop (to get cars ready for sale) in the region. But, the facility required 600 employee positions that had to be filled. “We were excited that they came here. It’s a good thing,” says Tony Gallo, president and CEO, Lorain County Chamber of Commerce. “But, if 200 people leave their current jobs in Lorain County, then their employers will be without employees. It’s a delicate dance. Everyone is complaining they have three, 30 or 300 job openings. We need to get more people back in the workforce and look at different ways to find those necessary bodies.” Gallo says chambers are superior at partnering with local and state organizations to help employers with talent acquisition and helping workers enter or re-enter the workforce. His chamber has worked with organizations and employers to eliminate barriers to workers, including exploring more child care
BY JILL SELL
