Flanked by Lucas County Commissioners Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland dropped in on The Source Northwest Ohio Friday, meeting staff and visiting Owens Community College’s green jobs classes.
The Governor stopped in at the County’s one-stop employment center to learn more about how some of his programs and initiatives have been implemented in the region and the impact they are having on workers utilizing the services available at The Source.
Joined by newly elected Toledo Mayor Mike Bell, State Representatives Matt Szollosi and Peter Ujvagi, State Senator Teresa Fedor, Workforce Investment Board Chairman Ron Rothenbuhler, Workforce Director Eric Walker, and a number of Owens officials, Governor Strickland was guided through the Resource Room where dozens of job seekers were using available computers to either search for work or develop resumes to be used in their job search.
The Governor also visited classes in the Owens Community College Learning Center at The Source, talking with students and asking questions about their career goals, the challenges they face as “non-traditional” students and their futures. He and Mr. Bell both shared stories about the difficulty they faced adjusting to college life when they first entered higher education.
Citing the growth of green energy in the State, but particularly in the Toledo area, the Governor stressed the hope he has that these fledgling industries will eventually grow to the point where they can create enough jobs to potentially offset job losses in the automotive sector.
As he was finishing his visit, Governor Strickland stopped to field questions from the media and complemented the staff at The Source for their hard work and dedication in making the center one of the leading one-stops in the state.