The Insider

October 2024

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THINK Manufacturing Career Showcase Marks 10th Anniversary

Our organization recently celebrated a significant achievement with the successful tenth annual THINK Manufacturing Career Showcase at the Fremont Rec Center. To mark the occasion, The Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the students arrived for the showcase.

The event attracted 850 9th-grade students from 7 schools in the area and aimed to introduce them to the essential skill sets required in the manufacturing industry. Students participated in hands-on activities facilitated by 12 local manufacturers, providing them with valuable insight into potential career paths. The event featured interactive demonstrations, informative presentations, and engaging discussions, all focused on inspiring and educating the next generation of manufacturing professionals.

Beth and Kyleigh would like to extend their thanks to the manufacturers, schools, and volunteers involved in making the event a success and emphasizing the importance of fostering connections between students and industry leaders to cultivate a strong and skilled workforce for the future of manufacturing.

The companies that participated were Amcor, Autokiniton, BMG, Crown Battery, First Choice Packaging, Green Bay Packaging, Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties, Motion Controls Robotics, Inc., Standard Technologies, Style Crest, Whirlpool, and Vanguard Technology Center (Manufacturing Technologies & Robotics division).

SCEDC Awarded Grants for Technology Upgrades

We are thrilled to announce that the SCEDC has been awarded two grants that will significantly enhance our technological capabilities. Thanks to the generous support of Walmart's SparkGood program, we have received a grant totaling $2,500, which has allowed us to acquire smart notebooks and a new laptop. In addition, we are grateful to the Sandusky County Communities Foundation for their grant of $2,256.24, which will be used to procure a drone and an additional laptop.

These technological upgrades will play a crucial role in bolstering our business retention, expansion, and attraction efforts, ultimately benefiting the economic well-being of Sandusky County.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Sandusky County Communities Foundation and SparkGood for their support in our initiatives to improve the economic well-being of Sandusky County!

SCEDC Fun Fact

In 2024, the SCEDC has been hard at work attracting new businesses to our community. Through targeted marketing and business attraction efforts, the SCEDC is playing a vital role in building and diversifying our local economy. By bringing in new investment and revenues, our community is able expand the tax base and increase the number and type of jobs available to our residents.

It's important to understand that marketing and business attraction goes beyond just selling business sites or attracting businesses – it's about promoting our community as a viable location for economic activity. With countless other communities vying for new business investments, the SCEDC is focused on targeting its efforts to meet the specific needs of potential clients.

As part of our commitment to driving economic growth, the SCEDC has already submitted 35 project leads with JobsOhio, and received 6 direct leads from our website and other marketing efforts. This demonstrates our dedication to attracting new businesses and fostering a thriving business environment in Sandusky County.

Local, County, and State News

Input Needed for Updated Labor Market Analysis

The Greater Ohio Workforce Board has partnered with Lightcast to conduct a comprehensive labor market analysis of the 43-county Greater Ohio Workforce Board region, but we need your input to ensure we accurately reflect the needs of your industry!

What will be analyzed:

- Demographic Trends

- Employment & the Labor Force

- The Education Pipeline

- Industry Trends

We are focusing on the following key industries to identify workforce needs, strengths, and challenges:

1. Manufacturing (analyzed separately for each subregion)

2. Construction

3. Health Care & Social Assistance

4. Transportation & Warehousing

5. Retail Trade + Accommodation & Food Services

6. Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (West region only)

7. Management of Companies & Enterprises (Central region only)

Your local insights will provide targeted, actionable data to guide workforce development investments and strategies over the coming years.

Why Your Input is Critical

In these one-hour virtual sessions, you will receive an advance briefing of Lightcast’s labor market analysis, followed by a guided discussion. Your feedback will help confirm and refine the data in areas such as:

- Hiring dynamics in your industry

- Preparedness of the local workforce (hard and soft skills)

- Impact of new technologies and automation on your operations

- Projections of future workforce needs

- Strength of local training and education providers

- Availability and effectiveness of programs aligned to your industry

Please Register for Your Industry Sector Below:

Manufacturing – Thursday, October 24, 2024

- Northwest – 9:00 a.m. REGISTER

- Central – 10:00 a.m. REGISTER

- Southeast – 1:00 p.m. REGISTER

- West – 3:00 p.m. REGISTER

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

- Construction – 9:00 a.m. REGISTER

- Health Care & Social Assistance – 11:00 a.m. REGISTER

Thursday, October 31, 2024

- Transportation & Warehousing – 9:00 a.m. REGISTER

- Retail Trade + Accommodation & Food Services – 10:30 a.m. REGISTER

Friday, November 1, 2024

- Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (West region only) – 9:00 a.m. REGISTER

- Management of Companies & Enterprises (Central region only) – 11:00 a.m. REGISTER

If you have additional questions or need assistance with registration, please email Matt Kreilick, Business Services Consultant for OhioMeansJobs Sandusky County, by clicking the link below.

Contact Matt Kreilick

Small Business. Big Impact.

This month's Small Business Highlight is Class Act Dance Studio located at 111 E. McPherson Highway.

This studio offers a fantastic range of dance classes for kids. It's not too late to register your little ones for a fun and enriching experience. Check out their class offerings on their website and give your kids the gift of dance!

Learn More on Their Website

Small Biz Blitz

One of the SCEDC's goals is to empower small businesses by providing them with the necessary resources to succeed and thrive in today's competitive market. As part of our commitment to supporting entrepreneurship, we conduct visits for our "Small Biz Blitz" program. This program is designed to offer an abbreviated version of our Business Retention and Expansion visits to small businesses in our community.

During the "Small Biz Blitz" stops, our team will spend approximately 15 minutes with you and your team to discuss your business, answer any questions you may have, and take a group picture. We will then share this information on our social media pages, allowing our followers to learn more about your business and the amazing work that you do.

Participation in the "Small Biz Blitz" program is completely free of charge, and we would be honored to visit your business in 2024.

Visit My Business Next!

Helping Our Community's Small Businesses & Startups Learn and Grow

The Business Resource Center is a one-stop call center to guide area businesses and new business start-ups to a range of resources and continuous learning programs available to help members of our community to advance business knowledge and skills.

Check out the Website!

SBDC - Small Business Basics Seminar

The Small Business Development Center's Small Business Basics seminar is free for anyone who wants to start, buy, or expand a small business.

2024 Seminar Schedule

Upcoming SBA Trainings

SBA Cybersecurity Summit

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

12:00 p.m.

Survey of SBA Programs and Services for Entrepreneurs

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

11:00 a.m.

Simple Steps 1: Business Basics

Thursday, October 17, 2024

12:00 p.m.

New Product Development - Part 3

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

12:00 p.m.

SBA Cybersecurity Summit

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

12:00 p.m.

What is the SBA's Mentor-Protege Program? Is it Right for My Business?

Thursday, October 24, 2024

:00 a.m.

Simple Steps 2: Business Concepts

Thursday, October 24, 2024

12:00 p.m.

Financial Series 2: Using Financial Data to Manage Your Business

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

12:00 p.m.

Buy a Building With a Long-Term, Fixed Rate SBA 504 Loan

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

1:00 a.m.

EXPLORE OUR OPTIONS

BUILDINGS AND SITES

Sandusky County is a growing business hub that is well-positioned for investment, growth, and development. Strategically located in Northwest Ohio, Sandusky County is a prime location for businesses that are looking to locate/relocate or to expand, offering companies access to a large pool of talented workforce; affordable, flexible, and attractive real estate options; strategic access via an intermodal transportation network; and excellent education options.

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BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY MAPPING

Access to data that drives the growth of your business. Search SizeUp and gain instant access to local & sector-specific data, allowing you to make informed business decisions. Explore suppliers and competition, ways to optimize your marketing, key demographics, and customers. With SizeUp you can escalate your Sandusky County business or find numerous reasons to establish one here.

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LOCAL INCENTIVES

Communities in Sandusky County have a wide range of incentives available to assist new and expanding businesses.

Enterprise Zone Program
Community Reinvestment Area (CRA)
Job Retention & Creation Incentive Income Tax Credit
Opportunity Zone Program

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STATE INCENTIVES

Grant funding and tax credits are among the most sought after incentives of new and expanding businesses. JobsOhio and the local municipalities within Sandusky County have programs in place offering these benefits to encourage business growth. These programs of varying focus are typically tied to job creation and new capital investment in fixed assets.

Learn More