Upskilling Ohio’s Workers for Better Jobs and a Brighter Future

Governor DeWine is investing substantially in career education, job training, and workforce development to upskill Ohio workers so they can succeed in a tech-focused economy and compete with China. These investments are also helping tens of thousands more Ohioans get training that leads to quality, higher-paying jobs without the expense and debt of going to college.

More than 40,000 tech-focused credentials have been earned by Ohioans at no cost through Ohio’s TechCred and IMAP programs. Governor DeWine is also advancing Ohio’s apprenticeship programs, helping Ohioans launch careers in good paying industries. Over 19,000 Ohioans are currently in an apprenticeship, and Ohio is #1 in the Midwest and #3 nationally for the number of apprentices.

Bolstering Ohio’s Economic Future and Bridging Opportunity Gaps

Governor DeWine cut taxes for all Ohioans, totaling $3.6 billion, while also balancing the budget. Ohio businesses and families are experiencing the lowest tax rate in more than 40 years.

Thanks to the prudent fiscal policies of the DeWine-Husted Administration and legislative partners, Fitch Ratings elevated Ohio’s financial outlook from an AA+ rating to AAA, citing the state’s superior financial resilience. This upgrade is significant.  It represents the highest Ohio rating since 1979, and will save Ohio taxpayers millions of dollars.

As America competes in an increasingly digitized economy, rural communities cannot be left behind. Access to broadband internet is essential in nearly every aspect of our modern economy, and closing the digital divide is the key to lifting up countless communities and populations in unserved areas. By creating Broadband Ohio, Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted are greatly expanding availability across Ohio. With an investment of $232 million in grants, an estimated 230,000 Ohioans will gain access to high-speed internet.

Bringing Jobs and Essential Manufacturing Back Home

Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted fought and won to bring the historic $20 billion new Intel semiconductor facility to Ohio, which will bring more than 20,000 good-paying jobs to the Buckeye state and create generational opportunities for Ohioans. This is vital not only for Ohio's economy and jobs, but also for U.S. national security.

The United States was once a world leader in semiconductor chip production, dominating nearly 40% of the world’s production capacity.  In 2020, our nation’s share fell to 12%. Decades of offshoring the manufacturing of these chips, which power everything from phones to cars to home appliances, has left the United States vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.

Under the leadership of Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted, Intel’s new facility will make Ohio a global epicenter for chip manufacturing and rebuild a sustainable, domestic semiconductor supply chain critical for American prosperity and national security.

Championing and Investing in Law Enforcement

Governor DeWine has championed law enforcement his entire career and is investing more than $274 million to give our brave men and women in uniform the resources they need to keep Ohio communities safe.

This major funding to support wellness and resiliency for first responders is not only funding traditional programs, but gives first responders the resources they need to proactively ensure their physical, mental, and emotional health needs are met. Further, funding will also go toward recruitment and retention efforts, violent crime prevention, and school safety.

Transforming Ohio’s Mental Health and Addiction Care

Governor DeWine intends to transform Ohio into a state that catches and treats mental health problems and addiction at their earliest onset to lessen the chances of life-long challenges.

Under Governor DeWine’s leadership, his Administration has invested $1.2 billion for student Wellness and Success programs, which funds programs between schools and community organizations to meet the physical and behavioral needs of students. The DeWine-Husted Administration has invested $84 million in Ohio’s children's hospitals to expand behavioral health services and has also more than doubled the number of Mobile Response Service (MRSS) providers, which serve children suffering mental health crises.

To help Ohioans who are having mental health crises get connected to the right kind of care, Governor DeWine invested $69 million in crisis stabilization services.

Governor DeWine is currently working with the Ohio General Assembly to invest $85 million to help train, recruit, and hire more mental health professionals to serve the citizens of our state.

Expanding Quality Learning and Improving Education Outcomes

Quality childcare is linked to better educational and social emotional outcomes for children, especially for our most vulnerable learners. When Governor DeWine entered office, just 40% of childcare providers receiving public funding were quality-rated; within 18 months of him taking office, all publicly-funded childcare providers were star-rated, ensuring that Ohio’s youngest learners have access to quality learning opportunities. Governor DeWine also expanded eligibility for publicly-funded childcare so more working families can access quality childcare for their children.

Governor DeWine expanded eligibility of the EdChoice Scholarship to historic levels, giving more Ohio families the flexibility to choose the best education for their kids. Governor DeWine also signed Senate Bill 89, which further expands school choice access to more families, reducing state mandates and regulations.

Further, to improve Kindergarten readiness and family literacy habits, First Lady Fran DeWine launched the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Ohio, so that every child in Ohio from birth to 5 years-old can receive a free book each month. When the program started, only 13% of eligible Ohio kids were enrolled. Today, that number has risen to 49%, and so far, over 8.9 million books have been mailed to children across all 88 Ohio counties.