Local career/tech centers want in on proposal to retain Ohio grads
But some institutions worry they're being left out - selling the state short.
It's a problem that's gone without a fix for years - keeping job candidates in our area and in Ohio.
"Many times we have students going across the border into Pennsylvania upon graduation for jobs," says John Zehentbauer, superintendent of the Mahoning County Career and Tech Center.
Ohio state representative Jon Cross (R-Kenton) thinks he has the answer in what's called the GROW Act.
It includes a three year break on state income tax for graduating college students to stay and work in Ohio.
"On its face I think it's a great idea," said Zehentbauer, but with some hesitation.
"They have not written the Ohio technical centers or career tech schools into the bill," he said. "So we've reached out to our legislators to make sure that we're included in that."
Officials we talked to at Trumbull Career and Tech Center shared the concern.
But representative Cross promises they won't be overlooked.
He said "the GROW Act is not a one size fits all piece of legislation. The career and tech centers are still a part of the legislation even though its focus is on bachelor's degrees. There are other pieces of legislation that focus on TechCred that do target students in Tech and Career centers in Ohio. This piece of legislation does have a focus on STEM degrees which can focus in on many students in Tech and Career centers too."
Zehentbauer says there are other ways to keep qualified job candidates local.
"Our business and industry partners, incentivizing them to give paid apprenticeships...makes the employer a little more aggressive in employing students from Ohio and the tech centers and other universities," he said. "If we have a student finishing the high school or adult education program, there are three or four jobs waiting for them immediately in our area."
