DAYTON, Ohio — State data shows that more than 220,000 jobs are available in Ohio. Initiatives across the state are stepping up to help fill those positions.
What You Need To Know
- The "Be the Essential" campaign is hoping to fill 37,000 vacant jobs in the Dayton area
- It's through a collaboration between Pivotal Media LLC, the Montgomery County Educational Service Center and other employers
- Wright State University senior Jasmin Clark is participating in the campaign
- She's been working at the Montgomery County ESC and it's helping her gain experience as an educator
The “Be the Essential” campaign is hoping to fill nearly 37,000 vacant jobs in Dayton. And the campaign is partnering with places like the Montgomery County Educational Service Center to help job-seekers get the experience they need to get started in their career.
Wright State University senior Jasmin Clark had always dreamed of becoming a dental hygienist. But that all changed nearly two years into her college career, when she started having teeth nightmares.
“I had subbed a little bit as a para on the side and I was like I think kids are cool,” said Clark, who then switched her major to adolescent & young adult education.
To get experience she got connected with the Montgomery County Educational Service Center, which helps future and current educators get professional development support.
“You have this idea of what education is and what it’s going to be like and then you come to a place like the ESC and you realize that there’s so much more than you ever imagined,” she said.
It was this connection that helped land a fellowship with the ESC and getting real world experience in her field.
“I am helping create connections between the schools and the industry that exists here in Dayton,” she said.
This is all made possible through a collaboration between Pivotal Media LLC and the ESC through the “Be the Essential” campaign. The campaign helps highlight the opportunities available in the career tech center and trade schools and connecting them with local schools and universities. Pivotal Media LLC Founder and CEO Dan Edwards said there are jobs available with or without a college degree.
“Not every family has the bank to go to college,” said Edwards. “What we want to do is say put in 8 months, 9 months training at some of these career tech centers and we’re going to backfill those 37,000 jobs a lot quicker.”
Now with more experience under her belt, Clark said she feels more confident about going into the workforce after graduation in the spring.
“I’ve got so much support from the people here at the ESC and it makes it so much more calming for me and now that I’m like 'I can do this',” she said.
To learn more about the campaign and available jobs click here.