The Ohio way: A bold, cross-sector push toward a skilled future workforce

Talk to anyone involved in business, education, or government in Ohio and they’ll speak with pride about a phenomenon called “The Columbus Way.”

The term was first coined by Harvard Business School professor Jan W. Rivkin in a landmark 2015 study that highlighted the effectiveness of Columbus city leaders collaborating with the business and development community to achieve shared goals.

“The Columbus Way comes down to public and private entities leaning in together to identify and solve challenges, both big and small,” says Jacques McKee, Vice President of Community Engagement at JPMorganChase.

Ten years later, with support from JPMorganChase, organizations like Ohio Excels and One Columbus at the Columbus Partnership are taking The Columbus Way to the next level, with a laser focus on educating, upskilling, and training Ohio’s current and future workforce in growing industries like technology, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare—ensuring that the state’s residents have the opportunity to be the direct beneficiaries of the region’s growth and innovation.

Moving beyond manufacturing

For generations, Ohio’s manufacturing economy provided a reliable path to prosperity for workers. That economic reality—where physical labor could secure a comfortable life—shaped the state’s approach to education and workforce development for more than a century.

In 2024, Ohio was ranked as the 7th largest economy among all 50 states, and Columbus the second fastest growing city in the US. But a skills gap threatens the ability of Ohioans to participate in this prosperity. The jobs powering Ohio's future economy increasingly require advanced skills and credentials that many residents simply don't have.

Only about 52% of Ohio residents currently possess the skills and credentials required for today's workforce, falling far short of the state's goal of 65% by 2025. This skills mismatch is particularly pronounced in high-growth sectors like healthcare and technology.

“Ohio has been really fortunate to land some really significant projects of national prominence,” says Matt McCollister, Interim President of One Columbus, the regional economic development arm of the Columbus Partnership. “In terms of advanced technologies and manufacturers, we've been on a good run for the last three or four years in these areas, but we've still got a lot of work to do.”

The Ohio Bureau of Labor Market Information projects that by 2028, 75% of job growth will occur in occupations requiring at least a postsecondary non-degree credential, with 58% demanding a bachelor's degree or higher. As of early 2025, Healthcare providers were trying to fill approximately 67,000 active job postings across the state, ranging from respiratory therapists to medical assistants.

Ohio’s educational evolution

One Columbus and the educational non-profit Ohio Excels are starting the hard work of preparing the talent pool of tomorrow. That starts with evolving the state’s educational strategy to align with technological advancements and job growth, ensuring that recent graduates possess the skills necessary for these new roles.

Ohio Excels, an educational non-profit created by the business community, formed in 2018 to advocate for nonpartisan statewide policies that prepare students—through strong graduation standards, clear report cards, early literacy reports, and expanded financial aid—for Ohio’s evolving job market.

“Before we were founded, we were seeing some movement by policymakers in the state to lower graduation requirements for students,” says Lisa Gray, President of Ohio Excels. “In the education advocacy community, we believe that the answer to preparing kids is not lowering expectations. It's about keeping the expectations high and finding ways to get kids there.”

In 2020, we launched our New Skills Ready Network, a landmark initiative focused on addressing skills gaps by creating career pathways in emerging sectors like healthcare and IT. With Ohio Excels as our lead partner for the state and our $7 million philanthropic commitment, it has already shown impressive results: In five years, student participation in IT and health career pathways in Ohio rose by 7% across all partner institutions, with Columbus City Schools seeing a remarkable 117% increase in student participation across these vital career tracks.

“That growth didn’t happen by chance,” says Dr. Angela Chapman, Superintendent and CEO of Columbus City Schools. “It’s the result of strategic partnerships and a shared commitment to preparing our students for the future.”

Upskilling today’s workforce in Ohio

Complementing the curriculum-focused New Skills Ready Network is Ohio’s new Regional Workforce Collaborative, funded by a $2.1 million philanthropic commitment from JPMorganChase and led by One Columbus. This collaborative brings together leaders in business, nonprofit, education, community, and government to implement necessary systemic changes in the overall workforce system.

That means addressing employment disparities, enhancing workforce development, and creating an environment where residents in the Columbus region can benefit from the growth in emerging industries that demand highly technical skills. The timing of the Collaborative’s launch couldn’t be better: A recent projection from Georgetown University indicates that Ohio can expect 645,000 job openings annually through 2031.

“We've got a lot of great programs, but we really need to knit those together to create a stronger system,” says Gray of the potential of the Regional Workforce Collaborative. “And so, the work that JPMorganChase is funding over the next two years is really to bring the business community, workforce developers, and other partners together to train and upskill Ohioans.”

“Our students deserve a seamless experience; from the classroom to college to career, and that only happens when we’re building those bridges together,” agrees Chapman. “The Collaborative creates the structure to do just that. It ensures what students are learning is relevant, that industry voices are heard, and our schools are preparing graduates who are ready to contribute on day one.”

The work of Ohio Excels and One Columbus embodies The Columbus Way, valuing partnership and support to achieve a big goal—and will positively impact millions of Ohioans in the years to come.

“We have an amazing group of leaders who are all acknowledging similar things,” says McKee. “Some of the biggest wins that I see are those qualitative partnership pieces—because those are the things needed in order to truly create lasting sustainable change within our community.”

The testimonials are the sole opinions or experiences of those featured and not those of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. or any of its affiliates. These opinions or experiences may not be representative of what all may achieve. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. or any of its affiliates are not liable for decisions made or actions taken in reliance on any of the testimonial information provided.