NorTech

The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. and PolymerOhio, Inc. are collaborating to establish several industry workforce clusters in Ohio.

Polymer Workforce Cluster
Organizational Meeting

Friday, August 22
8:30 am - 9:00 am - Networking and Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:00 noon - Facilitated Discussion
Location - OMNOVA – Performance Chemicals Division
Mogadore Plant
165 South Cleveland Avenue
Mogadore, OH 44260
330-628-6535
Get Directions

What is the objective of a polymer workforce cluster?
To enable companies to work together to assure a sustainable, skilled workforce for polymer companies.
Sub-objectives include:

• Establish training to maintain and improve skills of incumbent workers.
• Assist educational entities (K-12, training organizations, and two-year and four-year colleges) in attracting students to polymer-specific courses and degrees.
• Improve the image of the polymer industry and inform students, parents, and the public of the challenging, well-paid careers in Ohio’s polymer companies.

Who should participate?
Decision makers on hiring, training, and employee development at your company. Please pass this email to the appropriate person at your company.

What will we do at the first meeting?
This first meeting will include polymer company representatives with facilities in NE Ohio’s Economic Regions 8 & 9, along with staff from SPI and PolymerOhio. A facilitator will guide the group in defining:

• Workforce needs in northeast Ohio
• Problems faced by polymer companies in recruiting and sustaining a skilled workforce
• Objectives for the Northeast Ohio Polymer Cluster
• Next steps – actions and time table

Representatives from academia and government, workforce development boards, and other workforce stakeholders will be included in future meetings.

Please RSVP by August 19 to rmarkham@wideopenwest.com with name(s), title, company, phone number and email address.

10,000 Little (micro) Ideas, the organization of grassroots leaders, is on the move again. Members asked to find out what is happening in Cleveland to expand business and job opportunities. And now there is a major, one-of-a-kind event to answer these questions–the 10,000 Visions of Cleveland event on September 6. Economic development might not be thrilling, but it is essential to revitalize the business environment in northeast Ohio.

Come see Cleveland strut its stuff (new business development) and show off its accomplishments (infrastructure improvements).  Thousands of visitors will converge on downtown to learn from the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) and its economic development partners for this unique, family-friendly community gathering, which the GCP is hosting called 10,000 Visions of Cleveland on Saturday, September 6, at the Galleria at Erieview from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The spotlight is on economic development.

10,000 Visions of Cleveland has so much to offer, it’s hard to know where to start.  Enter for a chance to win the $1,000 Grand Prize by (1) registering for the Event, (2) submitting your “Vision” online at http://www.10000visionsofcleveland.com/ and (3) attending the Event. The qualifying entry that best describes a positive, dynamic vision of a thriving Cleveland will win the $1,000 prize, meet with some of the region’s decision makers, and earn coverage in the Plain Dealer. Secondly, the GCP and its partners on September 6^th will share their visions with you at the Galleria with interactive activities to display their initiatives (really cool stuff) and answer questions.

Joe Roman, president and chief executive officer of the GCP said, “We wanted to partner with 10,000 Little (micro) Ideas to bring Cleveland this exciting and fun afternoon of activities presenting all the projects that are building positive momentum in Cleveland. 10,000 is an organization of enthusiastic and committed grassroots leaders who are working to strengthen this region. This event provides a great opportunity for us to showcase the business community’s economic development initiatives, and we in turn, can hear from you about your 10,000 visions of Cleveland.”

Hosting this event is a natural for the GCP.  As the voice of business in Northeast Ohio, it represents more than 17,700 business members from the family-run store to the region’s largest employers.  The GCP, a catalyst for sparking economic vitality in this region, wants to share with you new developments from the business front lines; from updates on the East Bank of the Flats project to the East 4^th Street entertainment district development, to information about the Minority Business Accelerator Program 2.5+ program.

Become an informed community voice. Here is your chance to meet with over 40 of the GCP’s partners. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, The Gund Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, and NASA Glenn Research Center will share their progress toward economic expansion.  The complete list of the confirmed economic development participants is available at http://www.10000visionsofcleveland.com/.

Everyone is encouraged to submit a “Vision” of a vibrant Cleveland for a chance to win the $1,000 grand prize (winner must be present at the event to claim the prize). For more information and to submit an entry, visit http://www.10000visionsofcleveland.com/.

Pre-registration online for the event is strongly encouraged since only a limited number of “Visions” will be accepted.  After the event, attendees are invited to celebrate Cleveland at a West 6^th Family-Friendly Block Party from 4 to 6 p.m.  Shuttles will be available. See you at 10,000 Visions of Cleveland on Saturday, September 6, at the Galleria at Erieview in downtown Cleveland, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.