Pulse - Volume 14, Issue 4

LO R A I N C O U NT Y’S MAGAZINE 2021 | Issue 4

Lorain County On Tap

Local brewers are bringing their crafts to the community

l Ridge Too in helps tra nt in skilled tale e. orc the workf

Retooling Our Workforce Local programs give people the tools they need to be successful

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ORAIN COUNTY

Features 11

TRAINING WORKERS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

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Lorain County institutions and organizations are helping equip workers with the tools and support systems they need to adapt, learn, grow and stay in the field.

Departments 4 FROM THE EDITOR 6 AonRTS & ENTERTAINMENT Music a Mission works with veterans to turn their experiences into personalized songs.

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8 BIZ NEWS The story behind Skylift Inc. started years ago at Ellis Island.

10 Fa OOD & DRINK Lorain County is home to growing craft brewery scene. We highlight a

few that are bringing flavor to our dining scene.

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PROJECT MANAGER MATTHEW KRANISKE PRODUCTION MANAGER JENNIFER ROBERTS PUBLISHER ■ PAUL KLEIN klein@glpublishing.com

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EDITOR ■ JENNIFER BOWEN SIMA bowensima@glpublishing.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Linda Feagler and Jill Sell

ART DIRECTOR ■ ASHLEY MOREMAN

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS David Schwartz

SNAPSHOT A three-dimensional Lorain sign will be installed at West Erie and Broadway avenues to celebrate the city.

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Julie Bialowas, Sarah Desmond, and Tiffany Myroniak PARTNERS & ADVISORY COMMITTEE Community Foundation Lorain County Lorain County Chamber of Commerce Lorain County Commissioners Lorain County Community College Lorain County JVS

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FROM THE EDITOR

ORAIN

Getting to Work TODAY’S WORKFORCE IS FACING CHALLENGES.

Organizations like Horizon Education Centers, Lorain County’s Child Care Resource Center and Lorain County Workforce Development Agency are building support systems to help keep people in the workforce. Team NEO’s Talent Development Council is helping to keep the conversation moving forward.

Read about their stories in this issue.

SINCERELY,

JENNIFER BOWEN SIMA

ERIC MULL

Sometimes, workers don’t have adequate training to keep up with the changing technology and tasks.

Sometimes, they don’t have enough child care support to let them balance parental and career duties the way they want. Sometimes, it’s a matter of having the necessary transportation or a host of other challenges.

This year, the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce Economic Summit addressed these exact topics. More importantly, it led a conversation about how to tackle them.

In part, it offered employees strategies to help devel-

op new ways of operating to attract and retain workers — consider alternative hours, for example.

In addition, Lorain County institutions and organizations are helping to equip workers with the tools and support systems they need to adapt, learn, grow and stay in the field. In fact, Lorain County’s unemployment number is down to 3.6%, as compared to the state of Ohio, which is 3.8%.

A lot of that starts with training. Lorain County Community College (LCCC) is on a mission to prepare 10,000 more individuals with degrees and credentials by 2025. It’s also partnering with businesses such as Ridge Tool and LCCC to build an apprentice program.

COUNTY

EDITOR, PULSE LORAIN COUNTY’S MAGAZINE

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MOST GRATIFYING PART OF THEIR WORK / Helping patients feel comfortVISION / To create a quality-driven high-tech practice where providers and support staff can deliver quality care to patients in a friendly, safe and fun environment.

MISSION / Team Leatherman Care strives to deliver the utmost care and inADVERTISEMENT 4 puLse

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struction to its patients so they can enjoy a lifetime of good oral health and well-being.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE BEAT

THE SOUNDS OF HEALING Veterans’ stories are turned into song with Music on a Mission.

By Linda Feagler

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ing that during the 24 years she served as director of Genesis House, the staff would present each resident with a portable CD player and let them choose CDs that helped them cope with the pain of domestic violence each struggled with.

“D.R.E.W. provides veterans with a unique and authentic way to tell their stories, release pain and reconnect with their community,” Zeidner says.

“Since veterans don’t typically talk about their experience, Music on a Mission helps them on their journey home by providing a safe space where they feel secure enough to discuss how they’re feeling. Some are looking for a therapeutic channel, but really don’t want to sit in an office with a clinician. This really gives them a way to get [their story] out of their own head. When it’s repeated back to them in song, it’s shared with others and becomes universal.”

To date, more than 75 veterans have participated in D.R.E.W. Many are telling their stories for the first time. Each musical narrative serves as a lasting tribute to their service and place in history.

“Creating a song in 24 hours can be challenging,” says Lakewood singer-songwriter guitarist Ray Flanagan. The troubadour, who’s worked with eight veterans since joining Music on a Mission in 2017, adds that although strangers when they meet, there’s never a lack of communication as stories are shared.

“I think in many ways that’s easier for them,” Flanagan says. “I just sit there, let them speak and take notes. Many times, the veterans I work with are carrying around things they don’t share with their families or close friends. When they have this kind of opportunity, which many of them have never had, it’s a cathartic experience.”

For more information about Music on a Mission, visit musicmissioninc.com.

COURTESY MUSIC ON A MISSION

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Victory and Defeat. Courage and Camaraderie. Triumph and Tragedy. Life and Death.

Marilyn Zeidner, founder of Music on a Mission, never fails to be moved by the stories veterans share with her and her team of local singer-songwriters. The Avon Lake resident launched the nonprofit organization in 2007 to enrich lives by pairing the positive powers of music with creative interactive programming. Music on a Mission sponsors a variety of classes, including Kids in Tune, which is music intervention for children with disabilities (the nonprofit works in seven school districts), and Dance to the Music, which teaches dance and movement to adults with developmental disabilities.

But it’s project D.R.E.W. (Delivering Restorative Energy to our Warriors) that leads to something much deeper. Each participating veteran is paired with a singer-songwriter for a private oneday workshop during which the veterans share their experiences and the musician writes a song just for them that tells the story of that service.

The following day, veterans and their families are invited to hear the songs performed live in Barnegie Hall, a century-old barn in Avon Lake that Zeidner has reconfigured into a 100-seat concert hall. The songs are also recorded and shared through CDs and social media to build awareness to the challenges faced by our returning service members. The program is named in memory of Drew Ferguson, an Avon Lake native who served as a team leader in the United States Special Operations Forces. He completed combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, and received three bronze stars for his valor.

“Music has the power to heal and improve physical and mental health,” Zeidner says, recall-

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Reaching for the Sky The co-owners journey to start Skylift Inc. is what dreams are made of.

By Linda Feagler

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able to secure passage to India for the family. Before ultimately moving to New Jersey, they spent time in Penley, England, where Diane was born.

“Nobody spoke English there, so when Diane came to the United States at age 5, she didn’t speak one word of it,” her husband recalls.

The couple married in 1970, and are parents of three children. Sonja, 48, is a pediatric dentist; Nicholas Jr., 45, is Skylift’s chief financial officer; and Andrew, 36, is head of sales at Skylift. The family moved to Ohio in 1979, when Jarmoszuk accepted a position as gastroenterologist at Lorain Community Hospital (now Mercy Health– Lorain Hospital). He retired in 2019.

The idea for Skylift was born at 3 p.m. on Easter Sunday 2000.

“We were wrapping up brunch, and our family started talking about it. I came up with the name. Why do we call it Skylift? Because we make lifts and the sky’s the limit.

We made our first machine in a 2,500-square-foot building, and we’ve grown to 18 acres with room to expand.”

The company employs a staff of 90. Equipment is designed by in-house engineers who use 100% American steel.

Jarmoszuk is proud of the fact that Skylift is recognized as a state-of-the-art leader in manufacturing machines used for a variety of tasks, including utility poll installations, extractions and maintenance, transformer maintenance, tree trimming and storm response efforts to restore power throughout the united states.

“We are,” he says, “the Cadillac of the industry.”

That gratification extends to where he makes his home and does business.

“I spent most of my career practicing medicine in Lorain.

There was no way I was going to leave,” Jarmoszuk says.

COURTESY SKYLIFT

Ask gastroenterologist Nicholas Jarmoszuk Sr. if he imagined that one day he’d be co-owner with his wife Diane of Skylift Inc., a company heralded as a leading provider of easement specialty equipment, and he responds with a laugh.

“I had a relative in that profession, and we decided to do something together,” he says. “It led to this path.”

The road to Lorain, Ohio, was a long and winding one for Jarmoszuk, who was born in Innsbruck, Austria, and lived with his family in Salzburg for three years. In 1950, the Jarmoszuks immigrated to the United States aboard the army transport ship USS Black Forge, when their son was 4.

“My parents applied for a visa to come here because they didn’t want to live with communism,” he says.

They traveled by train from Ellis Island to Kinston, North Carolina, where his father, an engineer, found work in the tobacco fields. After spending time in Pennsylvania, the family relocated to Passaic, New Jersey. Jarmoszuk’s stellar academic record landed him a full-tuition scholarship at Don Bosco Prep High School, a college preparatory school for Polish boys, followed by a fellowship to Seton Hall University. He earned his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

“I knew I wanted to be a doctor since I was 5 years old,” Jarmoszuk says. “My mom revered our family doctor, and the profession intrigued me.”

Throughout his educational experience Jarmoszuk never lost touch with the woman he met in Passaic who would become his wife. When World War II began, the Russians entered Poland, rounded up Diane’s family and put them on a train to Siberia. After several years, Diane’s father, a member of the Polish Resistance, was

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ON TAP

Local brewers are bringing their crafts to the community.

By Linda Feagler

FOOD & DRINK

AVON BREWING CO. Mathias Hauck grins as he describes the Christmas morning two decades ago when he received a Mr. Beer homebrewing kit. After several months of trial and error resulting in liquids far from palatable, the gear was relegated to a closet shelf. But at the urging of his brother-inlaw Brian Weaver, Hauck — an instructor at Lorain County Joint Vocational School (JVS) — continued taking the fledgling steps that would lead to an award-winning craft.

“Over the course of time, our product got better and we won awards as home brewers.”

— Mathias Hauck “The first attempt was not great,” he recalls. “But then we decided, in an act of brotherly bonding, to give it another shot. We’d get together regularly at my house to brew beer. Over the course of time, our product got better and we won awards as home brewers. People were asking us what our next step would be.”

Family-owned and operated since 1984

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COURTESY AVON BREWING CO

Hauck, Brian and Hauck’s father-inlaw Ken Weaver launched Avon Brewing Co. in the city’s historic French Creek District in 2016.

They’ve won a slew of accolades, including Ohio Craft Brewers Cup gold medals for Christmas MiraCLE, a specialty hybrid experimental beer; and King Kokonut, an imperial coconut porter; and silver and bronze medals for Blackberry Bam-Ba-Lam, a Belgian/French Saison.

In the brewery’s kitchen, Brian Weaver, who served as executive chef at Gusto! Ristorante Italiano in Cleveland’s Little Italy, proves his prowess with entrees spanning the gamut from burgers to sesame bourbon salmon and sachetti, that complement his brother-in-law’s libations.

“We have 22 of our beers — ranging from light lagers to IPAs and stouts — on tap at all times,” Hauck says. “We brew beer we like to drink and incorporate into what Brian’s doing in the kitchen. I have a good palate for creating

beer recipes, and he has a great palate for food.”

Hauck never tires of tinkering with eclectic ingredients that lead to new concoctions. A case in point: Green chiles from New Mexico’s Hatch Valley — where Ken Weaver hails from — are the basis for Verde Gold green chile ale.

When Hauck isn’t brewing, he can be found sharing what it takes to become a restaurateur with JVS students interested in the business.

“In my classes, I teach entrepreneurship,” he says, “but there’s nothing like real-world experience.”

37040 Detroit Road, Avon, 440-937-1816, avonbrewingcompany.com

UNPLUGGED BREWING CO. For Carlos Lopez, Tim O’Neill and Jose Candelario, Unplugged is more than a brewery. It’s a state of mind the trio embraces and shares since opening their Elyria business in 2020.

Over the years, the three pals, who have information technology backgrounds, looked forward to unwinding after a tense day on the job by home-brewing beer in Lopez’s Elyria garage and O’Neill’s one-bedroom apartment in Lakewood.

“In the early days, we didn’t know what we were doing,” Lopez says. “We didn’t know we were unplugging. We just knew we weren’t letting anything bother us. It became

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drink lax

Connect to a Cause

County Finalists

Boosts the Community

MAGA ZINE LORA IN COUN TY’S 2021 | Issue 3

Doors to the Future

y Lorain County Communit College graduates stepped ties toward new opportuni

LO RA IN CO UN TY ’S

MA GA ZIN

E

2021 | Issue

4

Lorain County On Tap

Local brew ers are bringing their crafts to the community

Retooli Our Work ng force Local programs tools they need give people the to be successfu l

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co

bird, a mild wheat beer flavored with orange peel; and seltzers featuring orange puree with tequila, blackberries, limes and apple cider.

“Our motto is ‘Relax. Drink Beer!’”says Lopez. “We want to provide people with a place to get away from everything around a good, cold beer. Our customers love what Unplugged stands for in the community.”

201 East Bridge St., Elyria, 440-3456972, unplugbrew.com

FRANKLIN BREWING CO. When it came time for brewmaster Aaron Schickel to choose a moniker for the business he launched in 2013, only one name would do: that of statesman, diplomat, political philosopher and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.

“He’s history’s quintessential American,” says Howard Ross, Franklin Brewing Co.’s sales and marketing director. “You have to admire everything he accomplished at such a young age.”

Schickel and Ross became friends in 2003, when they played bass and guitar respectively in Hydra, a local hard rock band that performed at Cleveland venues including The Odeon, Peabody’s, House of Blues and Nautica. When the band amicably broke up in 2011, Schickel got serious about his home-brewing endeavors.

“Aaron started playing around and coming up with different recipes,” Ross says. “Like a lot of brewers, his hobby became an obsession.”

On select Saturdays, Schickel’s Elyria garage doubles as a growler fill station, where guests can stop by to sample what’s on tap. Best-sellers include America’s Gold, a light Kölsch-style ale with fruity undertones; the chocolate-and-coffee-flavored Milk Street Stout, named after the Boston address where Franklin was born; and 1724 English Ale, a ESB marking the year the Founding Father traveled to London to purchase his first printing press.

Schickel provides four-packs of 16-ounce cans customers can purchase on a to-go basis. He also sells growlers and merchandise. Diehard patrons often buy a 1/6 barrel of a favorite brew for their kegerators or parties.

COURTESY UNPLUGGED BREW CO

Ridge Tool helps train skilled talent in the workforce.

ng

re

unplug

PLUS: Best of Lorain

r bee

addictive to just get away from everything, hang out and make beer, ® and it got to ge d b r e w i the point where we were making way too much.”

The friends began giving their brews away and demand increased.

They knew the moment had come to take a giant step.

“In 2018, we began looking for a place that would suit our needs,” Lopez says. “We came upon an old autobody shop that had garage doors big enough to get our equipment through, as well as adequate drainage. But the icing on the cake is the fact that the Black River runs behind it. It had rained the day before we saw the property, and the waterfall was roaring. Right then, my vision kicked in that an outdoor patio was going to be part of our plan, along with Happy Hours, karaoke and Trivia Nights.”

Unplugged Brewing Co. signature selections include Cascade Park, a mild pale ale with citrus notes; Snow-

What started as a business that Ross describes as “being comprised of pieces and parts and a cooler,” has grown into a three-barrel system that doubles efficiency.

“Our goal has always been to open a place where people can come, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy each other’s company and conversation.”

ISTOCK

— Howard Ross

Plans are underway to ramp up distribution to local restaurants, and Ross and Schickel are actively scouting locations to open a taproom in Lorain County.

“Our goal has always been to open a place where people can come, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy each other’s company and conversation,” Ross says. “What’s more popular in America than saying, ‘Hey, let’s go have a beer’? We want to be there to welcome them.”

1345 East Ave., Elyria, facebook.com/FranklinBrewingCompany/ www.pulselorainmag.com

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TRAINING WORKERS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW TODAY’S WORKFORCE AND FUTURE WORKFORCE IS FACING CHALLENGES. LORAIN COUNTY INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE HELPING EQUIP THEM WITH THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS THEY NEED TO ADAPT, LEARN, GROW AND STAY IN THE FIELD.

BY LINDA FEAGLER

S

upporting Our Workforce.

It’s been a topic of discussion among local business leaders long before facemasks became fashion statements.

“This priority is a pre-COVID one,” says Tony Gallo, president and CEO of the 650-member Lorain County Chamber of Commerce, the largest on the West Side of Cleveland. “Over the past few years, many baby boomers have been retiring, and others have opted to just leave the workforce. It was, and still is, becoming clear that we don’t have enough people with the talent, certification and education to automatically plug-and-play into positions that were held by people for 40 years or more.”

The good news: Lorain County’s unemployment number is down to 3.6%, as compared to the state of Ohio, which is 3.8%. The conundrum: There are more jobs open in Lorain County than there are residents to fill them..

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“Lorain County is gaining population because Cuyahoga County, and other parts of Ohio, are losing population,” Gallo reflects. “But that doesn’t mean the workforce problem is being solved. We’re simply rearranging the game pieces on the board — and that’s not a solution.”

That topic was at the forefront of the Chamber’s fifth-annual Economic Summit, “The Future of Work and Skilled Gap Solutions,” held in September at the Lorain County Community College Spitzer Conference Center.

The symposium is designed to spur the dialogue needed to find creative solutions to economic and workforce development challenges.

“Our manufacturers and our service industry people are just chomping at the bit,” Gallo says. “They’ve got all these openings, and they can’t fill them. Clearly, the question remains, ‘Where do we find people to fill these gaps?’”

David DeLong, president of the Massachusetts-based consulting firm Smart Workforce Strategies, understands what Lorain County — along with the rest of the nation — is facing.

A former research fellow at the MIT AgeLab and author of The Executive Guide to High-Impact Talent Management published by McGraw-Hill, he was the keynote speaker at the Economic Summit. His talk, titled “Closing the Skills Gap: Innovative Talent Solutions for a Changing Workforce,” examined how to solve the talent issue as we move forward. “[Companies dealing with employment shortages] have different perspectives,” DeLong says. “Sometimes, an executive is totally focused on shortterm recruiting and retention solutions — in other words, ‘I’ve got to get entry-level or skilled talent tomorrow.’

Others have a more long-term goal: They’re thinking about the future of their workforce three years down the

COURTESY LORAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

road, recognizing that new technologies are coming into their business — and knowing they’re going to need new skills, particularly in manufacturing and the supply chain.

“Frankly, employers have been spoiled in the last 30 or 40 years because there’s been a glut of talent in the marketplace. But new forces are in play. In addition to retirees, more than 2 million women at all levels left the workforce during the pandemic, largely because of child care issues or security or rethinking their own careers.”

Coupled with that, DeLong adds, is one of the most unrecognized trends in our society: Increasing numbers of prime-aged males between the ages of 25 and 54 are opting to work part-time.

“The time has come to really think about how we’re thinking about this problem,” he says. “Are we going to follow the same old process — the same old way that involves just assuming things are going to proceed as they always have? Or are we going to really think differently about the problem given the challenges we face?”

DeLong is optimistic about the future. But, he’s quick to add, in order to ensure a positive outcome, a new way of thinking about what employees really want and need is imperative. He cites five strategies that serve as successful starting points:

• Be the best employer you can be. “Make sure you’re hiring smart and onboard really well,” DeLong says. “It’s also important to train people effectively to do their job and ensure they have the support they need.

Employers also need to recognize that they’re probably not going to keep people longterm so they need to reorient their expectations about how long employees are going to stay and don’t freak out when they don’t.”

• Be flexible in your work design.“I have smart manufacturers telling me that since there just isn’t the talent out there right now to find full-time workers, they have to be open to part time,” he says. “And that’s a smart move because there are smart people out there who want to work part time. Employers have to be willing to structure jobs that meet those potential employees’ needs.”

• Consider alternative hours. “An example would be three 12-hour days on, and three 12-hour days off, followed by four days off,” DeLong says. “The nursing profession has been successfully doing this for years.”

• Recruit younger and earlier. “Visit students in high schools and colleges so they become familiar with your company,” he says. “Create and offer them internships before they get snatched up by bigger firms who have elaborate internship programs which may pay more.”

• Look outside your industry for candidates.“Savvy managers are becoming more open to looking outside

their industry for employees who might not have the content knowledge of the field, but possess core skills that are invaluable,” DeLong says. “I had one bank executive tell me recently that customer service skills are a talent he believes is hard to come by. So when he meets someone who’s really good at customer service, he asks them if they’ve ever considered a career in banking, where the pay is higher and the career path is longer.

DeLong shares a personal case in point: His niece managed a bridal salon before her exemplary people prowess led to a job offer selling software used in complex mergers and acquisitions.

Gallo is committed to ensuring the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce remains a catalyst for bringing leaders together to brainstorm about the future. As a result, members are clearly stepping up to the plate to ponder and put solutions into play. www.pulselorainmag.com

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Lorain County Community College Lorain County Community College is on a mission — a mission to prepare 10,000 more individuals with degrees and credentials by 2025 in an effort to meet employer talent gaps and help them prepare for good jobs. Thus far, LCCC is halfway there: More than 5,500 individuals have graduated from LCCC and the University Partnership since 2019.

“Lorain County Community College and the University Partnership offer accessible, affordable and flexible pathways to degrees and credentials that prepare individuals for in-demand jobs,” says Lorain County Community College President Marcia Ballinger, Ph.D. “We maintain close connections to employers to build, adjust and maintain our curriculum, ensuring the students we graduate are prepared to fill open positions quickly.”

To achieve this, LCCC has developed two effective ways to address the labor shortage in an equitable way: The college offers short-term certificate programs that help those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic return to work, and has created earn-and-learn pathways where students get paid work experience while they’re completing their schooling — thus filling both employee and employer needs.

At the onset of the pandemic, Lorain County Community College launched

its Fast Track to Employment program, which retrains dislocated workers in less than 16 weeks and is tuition-free for students. Today, the program includes more than 60 employment pathways to in-demand fields, such as healthcare, information technology and manufacturing. Since 2019, Fast Track has conferred more than 1,000 certificates. The program has given those most negatively impacted by the effects of the pandemic the power to rejoin the workforce and change their lives in weeks, not years.

Simone Yalanty did just that. When Yalanty was laid off from her a job as a machine operator due to COVID-19, it seemed to come from out of nowhere. “It was pretty surprising,” she says. “We hadn’t been told anything until the day of the meeting when we were told we were being laid off for two weeks.”

Two weeks turned into 13. But Yalanty, 26, had decided early on to use the unexpected layoff to change careers. She earned a short-term certificate in Computer Information Systems – Software Development. Having all the classes online has made it easier for her to continue working when she was rehired by her employer and complete the coursework at a manageable pace.

LCCC partners with employers to create innovative solutions to the talent challenge. Programs designed in an earn-and-learn format are proving effective. In these programs, students

work for an employer in jobs related to their field of study and attend LCCC at the same time.

Ridge Tool, along with other manufacturing companies nationwide, is facing the challenge that has ensued with the shortage of skilled labor that’s being exacerbated by an aging workforce. Ridge Tool’s solution, in part, is building a foundation for the future of skilled talent through apprenticeship programs in partnership with Lorain County Community College.

“Ridge Tool’s philosophy and approach to skills training are very similar to LCCC’s,” says plant manager Joe Hofferth. “We know that hands-on learning is the best. You can’t learn in a classroom alone. You have to be able to put your hands on the tools and use them in a real-life situation again and

DAVID SCHWARTZ

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COURTESY LORAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

again. Plus, LCCC is in our backyard.

They are a part of our community and recognize the need to partner with local companies to thrive in Lorain County.”

This shared philosophy allowed Ridge Tool and LCCC to build a program focused on the right skillsets for each apprentice. They complete 10,000 on-the-job hours and 1,000 contact hours at LCCC, which can then be applied to an associate degree program.

The cost of tuition and supplies is paid for by Ridge Tool.

Jarrett Gerken, 31 of LaGrange, says the skills he’s learning in the classroom are immediately applicable to his workday, and are creating tangible benefits.

“The coursework and workload at my job really make the concepts that we have learned come full circle,” Gerken says.

Horizon Education Centers Since opening in 1978, Horizon Education Centers have remained true to providing high-quality care and education for children six weeks to 12 years of age in western Cuyahoga County and Lorain County. But, explains executive director Dave Smith, that philosophy has evolved over the last four decades.

“My mother founded the company as an after-school program because she was afraid children were spending too much time in front of the TV,” Smith says. “But through the years, we’ve become the workforce behind the workforce to give parents peace of mind. They can drop their kids off on the way to work, and we’ll make sure they get to school. We’ll pick the kids

Dave Smith

up after school and take them back to the center, where parents can return to pick them up.”

These days, Horizon is dealing with challenges once thought to be inconceivable. Prior to the pandemic, the company’s 18 centers were at full capacity, serving approximately 2,000 children. When COVID struck, the centers closed for two months. When they reopened, 10% of the staff — most of whom were over age 60 or have ongoing medical conditions — opted not to return. At full throttle, Horizon employs a staff of 400. Currently, that number stands at 327. Right now, the list of children waiting to be admitted contains 415 names.

“The demand is huge,” Smith says.

“We have the centers, we have the buildings, we have the school buses.

We just don’t have the employees.”

Horizon is in the throes of remedying that problem, offering training programs that fit all levels of experience and career tracks. Each has a host of benefits, including health coverage, tuition reimbursement for college classes, paid professional development programs, a retirement savings plan and holidays and paid time off after completing a 90-day probationary period. Parents who work at a Horizon are also eligible for reduced tuition for their offspring.

“Right now, we’re at a crossroads,” Smith says. “It looks as though the federal government is preparing to fund a variety of initiatives on this topic, which will lead to a lot of opportunities. The question is: Are we going to be able to mobilize quickly enough to put a trained workforce in place? As a guy, I’m hesitant to speak about child care issues, since it’s a [priority] that usually falls to women to take care of www.pulselorainmag.com

17

— many of whom are single heads of household. But one thing is clear, reliable child care is essential for people to be self-sufficient and make it on their own. If we don’t have it, that’s not going to be possible.”

reer path can be a long, winding, lonely road littered with rejections and no replies. Mike Longo, director of the Lorain County Workforce Development Agency, and his team are a port in the storm when it comes to successfully navigating the route.

The agency provides access to services targeted to meet workforce-related needs of area employers and job-seekers, as well as youth preparing to enter the world of work. It also

Lorain County Workforce Development Agency As anyone who’s ever done it knows all too well, looking for a job or new ca-

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provides oversight for OhioMeansJobs Lorain County, the county’s one-stop employment center dedicated to providing customer-friendly services tailormade for individual needs.

“We help folks in Lorain County in a couple of ways,” Longo says. “Our adult programming provides funds for individuals to retrain or train for higher-level certifications to help them become more employable.”

Longo is quick to add that programs and resources are not only geared toward low-income individuals, but also dislocated workers who’ve been laid off and qualify for unemployment.

“Family income,” Longo says, “has nothing to do with anything.”

Eligible applicants can receive up to $10,000 a year for tuition to train for an in-demand occupation as defined by the state of Ohio.

“We’ve funded people who are pursuing programming at the community college or the JVS,” he says. “But we’ve also funded folks who are going to proprietary schools in fields that range from truck driver training to registered nurse training.”

If a student opts to earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, $20,000 is available to offset tuition — a clear win-win, since students incur less debt.

“There are some occupations the state of Ohio defines as critical,” Longo says, “so in some cases, our work force board has approved up to $40,000 for a four-year program.”

The agency also assists with transportation costs to supportive services that include money for gas and bus fare.

As the world has changed, an increasing number of occupations have become outdated. The Lorain County Workforce Development Agency is a lifeline for those feeling disheartened.

“One of the advantages of tapping into the public workforce system is that when you have individuals who might be in an occupation no longer in demand — or there are no opportunities in the industry — connecting with our system helps people get engaged with workforce specialists,” Longo says. “They assist job-seekers with tapping into career assessments and other tools that help them understand what in-demand industries are out there that would be a good fit for the skills they already have.”

Best of all, Longo adds, these ser-

vices are free.

“We’re not here to magically get people jobs,” he says. “We’re here to help people stay focused and find the skills they need.”

PHOTOGRAPH: CREDIT

Child Care Resource Center Although quality child care is a pivotal decision for families, it’s one that’s often hard to resolve.

Since 1989, Lorain County’s Child Care Resource Center has helped solve that dilemma. The center, which serves five counties, has evolved into a premier resource and referral agency. It’s become a leader in transforming early care and learning by ensuring the children they service are ready for kindergarten. In addition to helping families make informed choices about the care that’s right for their children, the center recruits, trains and supports child care professionals and advocates at local, state and national levels.

“We work with anyone who connects to early education,” says Child Care Resource Center executive director Jennifer Dodge. “But we also help families

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19

Here in Ohio, we have a very mixedmarket of child care delivery, which is defined by a variety of options.”

— Jennifer Dodge in need of other services and lead them to what we call the ‘front door’ to getting them — including finding ways to pay for child care.”

Dodge adds that many parents who contact the center have no idea there are child care programs in their area aside from the ones they pass every day.

“Here in Ohio, we have a very mixed-market of child care delivery, which is defined by a variety of options,” she says. “It’s not just the child care center you see that has its own building and a sign out front. We also have licensed family child care providers who work

out of their homes: Licensed Type A home-based providers accommodate 12 children with the help of a staff person.

Type B providers care for six.”

Organizations the Resource Center works with include public and religious-based preschools and schoolaged child care programs, along with Head Start and other community-based options. The center also supports the early-care workforce by providing training and assisting new-business initiatives.

During the pandemic, the Child Care Resource Center’s Staffing Solutions program offered staff within approved programs much-needed breaks by providing job-ready substitutes. The platform, which will continue, features benefits that include vacation days, time off to attend family events with their own children and professional development sessions.

“We have an extensive database of all licensed child care in our counties pre-pandemic and now,” Dodge says.

“There are providers we know who ran strong businesses and, because of the pandemic, were forced to close them.

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Right now, there are many sources of financial support that will help them reopen and stay strong when they return.”

TEAM NEO The pandemic has proven there’s strength in numbers, and Ohio’s 18-county Northeast region comprising Team NEO — which includes Lorain County — has banded together to accelerate economic growth and job creation in a world that’s rapidly changing.

“We — being the economic development community — have realized over the past six or seven years that talent’s become the single most differentiating factor for how businesses think about growth and how they can grow,” says Jacob Duritsky, Team NEO’s vice president of strategy and research.

Since 2001, the VP adds, northeast Ohio’s 18 counties — which include four major metropolitan areas — have lost about 170,000 residents, including 150,000 workers who’ve either retired or out-migrated to different parts of the state or country.

“Some have moved to coastal cities,”

he explains, “but we’ve also lost out to markets such as Columbus, Indianapolis and Chicago. We have to be objective about the realities of our labor market. The fact is we’re not going to grow our way out of this problem.”

Over the last five years alone, significant gaps in the talent market have continued to widen, particularly in the IT, health care and manufacturing.

“In any given year,” Duritsky explains, “we still have 50,000 to 55,000 more jobs than we have credentials being conferred for in those three sectors.”

To resolve this chasm, Team NEO has developed a three-pronged strategy to spread the word about the benefits these fields offer.

“We’ve started taking messaging about in-demand career opportunities to businesses and higher education,” Duritsky says, “but we’re also working with sixth- to 12th-graders to help them think about what their passions in the marketplace are.”

The second component is Team NEO’s Talent Development Council, which is co-chaired by Dr. Marcia Ballinger, president of Lorain County Com-

We — being the economic development community — have realized over the past six or seven years that talent’s become the single most differentiating factor for how businesses think about growth and how they can grow.”

— Jacob Duritsky

munity College, dedication to aligning higher education and business leaders so they have conversations around a consistent set of topics that will move the economy forward over time.

“It’s one thing to know how many credentials are being conferred,” Duritsky says. “It’s a very different conversation to say, ‘How do we get up to speed, and how quickly can we produce more graduates in critical fields?’”

Team NEO is also working with JobsOhio a private, nonprofit corporation designed to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio, by providing talent acquisition services, as well as tax credits and grants to help companies looking to grow facilitate a better hiring process.

“We’re doing all of this with the support of tons and tons of community partners,” Duritsky says. “Clearly, it takes a village to affect change.”

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snapshot

ORAIN COUNTY

Standing Proud A new Lorain sign celebrates the city and county.

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for a very long time. The sign will become part of the city’s history, and I’m proud of the fact that our company will be part of that history.”

Kuhn adds that the idea was sparked by a community-wide collaboration which includes support from Lorain County realtor Andrea Neal and designer Brian Bartlebaugh. The cost is approximately $25,000, with donations funding the sign, as well as lighting and landscaping.

Born and raised in Lorain, Kuhn is excited about the changes he sees taking place in his hometown.

“Over the past five or six years, Lorain has really made a comeback,” the Lorain Catholic High School graduate says. “Restaurants are opening, the hotel has re-opened and the marina is being revitalized.

I’m thrilled that I can do my part to help my city.” — Linda Feagler

JASON SHAFFER.

orain County’s newest tourist attraction is clearly a vibrant sign of the times. The three-dimensional script “Lorain” sign, crafted by Kuhn Fabricating, is a fitting complement to the city’s burgeoning reputation as a premier destination for visitors and locals alike. Installed at the northeast corner of West Erie and Broadway avenues, the 17-foot-long, 8-foot-high white steel beacon has quickly become an attention-getter, as well as a fitting backdrop for photo ops. Throughout the coming months, it’ll be bathed in a changing palette of lights to reflect holidays including Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.

“We’re very excited about this project,” says Lewie Kuhn, president of Kuhn Fabricating, a Lorain-based firm specializing in heavy sheet metal, structural steel and plate weldments since 1970. “It’s going to be there

I AM LCJVS

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Owen Ortiz

Sheffield Lake resident

Masonry Trades '22 Laborer at Trio Concrete

Veteran’s Medical Appointment Transportation Transportation is provided to and from VA Medical Facilities in Wade Park (WP), Parma, and the VA Outpatient Clinic in Sheffield Village. Availability is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

A morning shuttle is available to Wade Park & Parma. Home pick-ups are provided for appointments at the VA Outpatient Clinic in Sheffield Village. Wheelchair-accessible transportation is available.

For more information, guidelines, appointments and policies, please contact Howard Hixon, Transportation Coordinator at (440) 284-4624 or vetstransportation@loraincounty.us, or visit https://www.loraincountyveterans.com/services/transportation/.

To contact the Lorain County Board of Commissioners 226 Middle Avenue I Fourth Floor I Elyria, Ohio 44035 P: 440-329-5111

loraincounty.us @LCGov