Regional workforce, education leaders collaborate to enhance workforce readiness, leadership

Apr. 4—LIMA — Industry leaders, educators, and workforce developers gathered to strengthen the state's talent pipeline at the 2025 Northwest Ohio Tech Prep Regional Center SuccessBound Summit in the Keese Hall Multipurpose Center at Rhodes State College on Friday in Lima.

Dee Smith, executive director of the Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education, highlighted the significance of collaboration in addressing workforce needs.

"These events, like we have here today, hosted by the Northwestern Ohio Tech Prep, are crucial in bringing regional partners together to discuss workforce challenges," Smith said.

"This is the driver we need in the state of Ohio."

Smith emphasized that Ohio is facing a shortage of career technical education experience and workplace learning exposure.

"We know that we don't have enough students leaving high school with career technical education experience or workplace learning experience. We know we need more, we know we need an all-of-the-above approach," Smith said.

Randy Gardner, president of RG Advisors, spoke about the need for an inclusive approach to education and workforce development.

"There are 815,000 people in Ohio who don't have a high school education or GED," Gardner said.

"One of the things I think we ought to be doing is whenever someone files for government assistance who doesn't have a high school diploma or GED, I think we at least owe it to them to tell them where to get one," Gardner said.

Smith noted the importance of equipping students with the necessary skills while ensuring businesses have a strong workforce to support economic growth.

"Make sure workers have the skills they need to enter and sustain employment, and ensure employers have a strong talent pool to draw from," Smith said.

Smith also credited the efforts of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted for campaigning the benefits of career technical education.

"Governor DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Husted realized the best bang for your buck in the state of Ohio was to get a career technical education," Smith said.

"That's why the state has made a $300 million investment into expanding career technical education programs."

Jeff Sprague, regional talent acquisition manager, Regional Growth Partnership, spoke about his role and the alliance between the workforce and education.

"What ties in to the economic development standpoint really ties in to the work that you all do on a day-to-day basis," Sprague said.

"This ongoing collaborative relationship that we have in northwest Ohio plays out very positively when we go in front of properties and talk about partnerships with K through 12, career centers, two-year community colleges and four-year higher education institutions."

Jaime De La Cruz, senior human resources director at Marathon Petroleum Company, spoke about the power of connected leadership and its influence on workforce success.

"I've seen leaders that are great and some that have struggled," De La Cruz said. De La Cruz highlighted statistics that illustrate the effects of leadership on workforce performance.

According to data provided by De La Cruz, 70 percent of employees leave their jobs due to a bad leader and poor leadership can waste between 10 to 52 percent of work time.

De La Cruz emphasized the role of leadership.

"A leader is not just about getting the job done, a leader is about creating an environment where people can be successful, challenged and happy," De La Cruz said.

"When you're an employer with a group of employees around you, you have so much impact on their lives."

Other featured speakers included Dan Leffingwell, director of workforce in schools, FuturePlans, Dr. Romules Durant, CEO and superintendent at Toledo Public Schools and Matt Winkle, associate administrator at the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce.

Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351

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