Mahoning Valley - WorkOhio.gov is a new website aimed to help ease the often complicated process of applying to jobs. Job seekers enter basic information and their interests then are connected to a supporter within a few days to navigate the next steps.

“We want them to know what’s out there. We want to know what's available. We want them to set goals, understand what it's going to take to get to those goals, dream,” Jim Tressel, Ohio’s Lieutenant Governor said. 

Job seekers can be looking for their first career or a career change. The program supporters will help them with any barriers in the way of a potential career like finding training. 

Work Ohio divides the state into seven regions to try and work with smaller pools of industries to get them the workforce to grow.

“Wherever we have the need we want to make sure that everyone in our consortium knows here's what we need and here's who can help us get there and that will be unique to each region,” Tressel said. 

In Eastern Ohio, the support will all be from the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition. They have been connecting people with manufacturing jobs already but will expand to more industries for the program. 

“So, we're hoping to kind of take that model and that idea of finding people where they're at, identifying what their needs are and then connecting them where they need to,” Alex Hertzer , the Executive Director of the Coalition said. 

The success of someone getting the job is still undetermined since the program is still so new. 

Work Ohio is funded through the Ohio Department of Higher Education for a year and a half and will be reevaluated to continue then.