These Signs Are Telling Us Something

These help wanted signs are telling us something. And they are everywhere now.

The signs are there. They are telling us the workforce crunch is upon us.

Retailers are the first to show the signs of the coming workforce crunch. McDonalds just did a high-profile, national "help wanted" campaign.

The unemployment rate in Ohio, it was announced yesterday, hit a two-year low.

The stock market has regained it's pre-recession levels and restored 401(k) accounts. Meanwhile, the massive Baby Boomer Class of '65 turns 65 next year.  Retirement looms.

Licking County has seen the signs coming and is prepared better than most with a multi-faceted approach.  Here's a few:

- Our local community college, COTC, has enjoyed record enrollment in recent years. 

- C-TEC, our local adult education and JVS, recently graduated its first class of its Manufacturing Certification program.

- Workenomics is about to embark on an outreach campaign to those Licking County residents who commute outside of the county every day.  A survey showed 94% of them would consider work closer to home.  That sounds like a worker pool when you factor in $4 or $5 gasoline prices.