There’s a lot to talk about on Thanksgiving Day. But be careful. It is always true, and especially this year, that politics should be left out of the table talk.
I am in industrial development as a career. I support the view that everyone plays a role in industrial development. Accept my modest list of things to consider as conversation topics for your Thanksgiving Day turkey time:
Homesick in Ohio. The number one illness among former Ohio residents is homesickness. The antidote may well be served at the family Thanksgiving table. The reasons to move back to Ohio are becoming more and more numerous. Visiting grandma is good. Job opportunities are the biggest draw to bringing people back to Ohio.
Fewer people move. Our migration is something that demographers are tracking. The trends are in our state’s favor. Many may be surprised to learn that Ohio has been net positive for migration in recent years. As a state, we have been number one in improving this measure since 2015. Ohio ranks eighth in student retention.
More people are coming to live. We’ve seen some anecdotal trends in recent years with more people moving to Ohio. My thoughts go out to new families I have met from New Jersey, California and Missouri, among those who have moved here in the past year. One report showed that 87,000 job seekers have moved to Ohio since 2019.
(By the way, JobsOhio has linked the Ohio “Heart of it All” campaign to successful efforts to help connect opportunities for homesick Ohioans and people new to Ohio at FindYourOhio.com.)
Rick Platt is president and CEO of the Port Authority of Heath-Newark-Licking County.
STEM learning. Now more than ever, Ohio needs to fill jobs that require STEM skills. STEM careers include many growing industries in Ohio. It starts before kindergarten. I have found that STEM learning experiences as a family are crucial. Inspiration is the key to finding that STEM career path and the better-paying job it brings. It’s happening in more than just our schools.
Restore production. Manufacturing reshoring is real, and Ohio ranks high in realizing manufacturer investments. Despite some tough economic factors this year, the list is growing. Behr Paint opened in Licking County in April with the ability to make seven million gallons of latex paint per year. Joby Aviation is hiring in Dayton. Honda/LGES is approaching day one in Fayette County. Ohio is a vital part of this national trend that is just beginning.
Energy independence. Manufacturers need electricity. Ohio is at the heart of our national energy independence. 80% of America’s energy independence is due to three states: Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. We must play to our strengths and emphasize that Ohio does have power.
Making chips. The semiconductor industry is a roller coaster, and Ohioans have been on that roller coaster for three years now. Stay the course is what I say. We can’t forget that Intel is part of a tenfold increase in investment in the U.S. chip industry, which is absolutely essential to our national security.
The bottom line is that the promised employment opportunities – both in the high-profile projects and in the less high-profile reshoring of the manufacturing sector – will materialize in the coming years. The end result of our joint preparation efforts will result in Ohio better taking advantage of existing opportunities. We all benefit from it.
And the conversation could all start at our Thanksgiving Day tables. Happy Thanksgiving!
Rick Platt is president and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority, a board member of JobsOhio and a resident of Newark. His email is rplatt@HNLCPA.com.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Guest columnist offers Ohio talking points for Thanksgiving dinner
