Northeast Ohio Has What College Grads Want – Jobs

Posted by ThePlus - 01.01.2012

Northeast Ohio boasts one of the most esteemed higher education systems in the nation – not only is the region home to 27 accredited colleges and universities and 210,000 diverse students, it is also offers access to what college graduates want most: jobs. While students are attracted to Northeast Ohio for a variety of reasons, access to thousands of employers representing a wide range of industries is a significant factor. Home to some 180,000 companies, students and audiences from across the nation have started to take notice of all the opportunities Northeast Ohio has to offer its graduates.

As noted in the articles that follow, over the last year, Northeast Ohio has consistently been ranked as one of the top locations for job-seekers – a great sign for college students who are looking to start their careers. What is more, while economic hardships have affected all areas of the country, recent studies show that Northeast Ohio is recovering at a faster rate than the national average; another plus for our region’s graduates. Add to this the fact that Northeast Ohio’s cost of living is significantly lower than other major metros and we begin to understand all the promise Northeast Ohio holds.

Continue reading to discover some of the positive developments that are making Northeast Ohio an ideal location for college graduates.

+Ten Best Cities to Find a Job
The Fiscal Times, December 2011

  • This article from The Fiscal Times highlights Akron as one of America’s leading cities in terms of job growth. Helping fuel area jobs are global companies like the Goodyear Rubber & Tire Company as well as foreign entities such as Röchling, a German plastics company that specializes in injection molding.

+The Ten Best Cities For Recent Grads
Huffington Post, September 2011

  • For recent graduates looking to get their first job out of school, CareerRookie and Apartments.com agree that Cleveland and Northeast Ohio have a great deal to offer. Their ranking looked at the best cities for young professionals based on the number of jobs stipulating less than one year of experience and the average rent of a one-bedroom apartment.

+Cities with the Biggest Growth in Tech Jobs
Bloomberg BusinessWeek , August, 2011

  • According to a recent study released by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Northeast Ohio is a technology hotspot. The study looked at cities across the nation and determined which ones have seen the biggest gains in technology jobs. Coming in at number one on the list was The Plus region, which has experienced a 107 percent growth in tech jobs.

+Top 10 cities in the U.S. to find a job
MarketWatch, June 2011

  • Data collected this past June by the well-known jobs site, Monster.com, placed Cleveland and its surrounding area as the 5th best location in the country to find a job. Their findings were based on the number of online job ads per labor-force participant.

+15 Best Cities to Find a (Great) Job
BNET , May 2011

  • CBS’s interactive business network, BNET, used data provided by online jobs aggregator, indeed.com, to produce a list of the 15 best places in the nation to land a great job. Northeast Ohio came in at number three on their list.

While there have been a number of national rankings that place Northeast Ohio among the best places in the country for job opportunities, there is anecdotal evidence to support these claims as well. In Youngstown, for example, the boom in shale drilling is already creating hundreds of jobs. As V&M Star opens its new $650 million mill, it will add 350 jobs in the area. And that is just the beginning! Industry experts predict that the shale sector could support more than 200,000 jobs in the next four years in Ohio alone. That is why universities like Youngstown State are developing curriculum to prepare students for careers in this growing field.

As the shale industry gains momentum, a number of other unique sectors continue to grow, presenting new opportunities for job-seekers. The healthcare industry, for example, is a leading job engine for our region, employing more than 480,000 professionals. As a state, five of Ohio’s 12 largest employers are health care systems, showing just how vital this growing sector is to our economy. Manufacturing, a staple of Northeast Ohio’s economy, is another major contributor, accounting for 13% of all jobs in the region . These, in addition to an array of sectors, are creating opportunities for tomorrow’s graduates.

Awarding more than 30,000 post-secondary degrees a year, Northeast Ohio’s vast higher education system is producing scholars for the region’s future. As these graduates look to enter the workforce, Northeast Ohio’s economic landscape is affording them opportunities to grow a career right here in The Plus.

For additional information on this topic and more, visit www.ThePlus.us.




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