OhioMeansJobs Columbus – Franklin County
WHO ARE WE?
OhioMeansJobs (OMJ) plays a pivotal role in Ohio’s workforce ecosystem by assisting both the job seeker and the employer in providing access to training and employment services. Adult and dislocated workers can find access to job postings, interview preparation, resume assistance, job search workshops, skill and career assessments, and job fairs. A sampling of services for youth includes tutoring and dropout prevention, guidance and counseling, help transitioning to post-secondary education, and paid and unpaid work experience.
How Can We Help You?
While partnering with local businesses, Ohio’s twenty local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) hire the staff and provide the leadership and strategic direction to the OhioMeansJobs (OMJ) centers. The centers are funded by The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant dollars the WDBs receive from The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS), and service providers who may rent space in an OMJ office.
OhioMeansJobs Columbus-Franklin County Project Director, Career Services, Sonya Gant, says her team’s motto is, “No wrong door.” When there’s someone in seeking their services, their front-line staff is trained to learn what brought that individual into the office and how to direct them to get the assistance that they need. Sonya explained her team wants to see everyone become employed, and the first step is determining what the real barriers are, needs versus wants, that are prohibiting them from working. From there, the team sets out to work with the individuals within OMJ, one of their service providers, or both, to enable their successful return to the workforce. The Columbus-Franklin County OhioMeansJobs Center recently partnered with the Infrastructure Equipment and Record Sealing Job & Resource Fair. In collaboration with Legal Aid, Municipal Court, the City of Columbus, Columbus Urban League, Radio One-Urban One and the Justice Bus, this event brought together legal and employment resources to support individuals seeking a fresh start and a pathway to brighter futures.
The event’s success was also driven by the incredible dedication and hard work of the volunteers and partners. Their time and efforts made a significant impact on the lives of hundreds of individuals, creating hope and new opportunities. Whether assisting with legal services, offering career guidance, or providing vital support in various ways, every volunteer played a crucial role in delivering these much-needed resources.
Become an Employer Partner
According to Sonya, the OMJ Business Services Team meets with employers to understand what their occupational needs are and what their career paths may look like, so interested individuals can get a better understanding of what’s next when they apply or get hired. When asked what makes employers successful in hiring individuals that come through OMJ, Sonya replied, “Those employers that take the time to really understand the candidate’s needs and work with them.” There is an OhioMeansJob center in each of Ohio’s 88 counties.