Columbus, Ohio is an expanding city. As companies in a variety of sectors settle in the city, they need people to build their facilities and then people to work for them. Labor leaders are finding ways to secure this work for central Ohio residents.
Leading the way in creating these good-paying jobs is Columbus Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Dorsey Hager. He joined AWF Union Podcast to discuss the recent labor meeting at the White House, developments in central Ohio and creating a program to help local residents secure good-paying jobs.
Labor leaders meet with President Biden
Hager was impressed with the meeting between President Biden and labor leaders, many of whom represent workers in the building trades.
Hager said that by all accounts, the meeting was a success. The productive meeting included talks of an infrastructure bill, which would create thousands of jobs nationwide. The leaders also discussed encouraging apprenticeship in the trades and other sectors in order to ease the student debt burden and put Americans into good-paying, union jobs.
Investing in the Columbus Innovation District
One of the many projects occurring in Columbus includes the Columbus Innovation District.
This innovation district is a $1.5 billion investment, expected to yield $3 billion in economic impact in the coming years. Hager said construction on four of the projects has begun. Eventually, there will be a proton therapy facility for cancer treatment and research.
Central Ohio Training Certification
Hager then discussed the various ways the C/COBCTC is working to get more people into good-paying jobs. He said he has spoken with Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther about creating jobs to help those who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the Building Trades will partner with various groups throughout central Ohio to create a six to eight week job readiness program. Here residents will learn about financial literacy, interview skills, math and more.
The goal is to put these residents on the path to a good-paying union job.