This week, Gov. Mike DeWine unveiled his biennial budget, which includes $1 billion in one-time spending aimed at accelerating Ohio’s economic recovery. The budget blueprint also includes $70 million for workforce development, broken down as follows:

• Investing an additional $5 million for 5,000 tech-focused credentials through the TechCred program in fiscal year 2021;
• Funding $50 million ($25 million in each fiscal year 2022 and 2023) for 40,000 tech-focused credentials through the TechCred program; and
• Investing $15 million for workforce efforts in economically distressed rural and urban communities. (Lt. Gov. Jon Husted noted this would be a statewide expansion of Cleveland’s Ohio To Work pilot.) Industry sector partnerships may be eligible for this funding.

In a press release, the OMA lauded the administration’s focus on building Ohio’s talent pipeline. 2/1/2021