Joshua R. Beekman, MBA

Great Opportunity in Toledo! I will also be presenting on Friday May 9. Attend the conference and learn more about how education and workforce meet to prepare students with practical skills. From Coursework to Internships: Enhancing Portfolios and Resumes Using Experiential Learning Opportunities in Community College Technical Arts Programs Presenter: Michael Sander, Owens Community College Format: Rapid Rundown (30 mins) This presentation underscores the importance of integrating experiential learning into community college technical arts programs to prepare students for competitive internships and industry roles. Designed for educators and employers alike, it highlights how real-world projects embedded in coursework foster practical skills, enhance portfolios, and build resumes that stand out in today's internship and job market.

4

Chapter 4 in the book Opportunity Structures in Vocational Education and Training is authored by Chris Zirkle and examines more than 100 years of vocational (career and technical) education in the state of Ohio. The chapter shows how opportunity structures are built through Ohio’s system of career centers and joint vocational school districts, which allow students to access a wide range of vocational programs beyond what individual high schools could offer on their own. Rather than presenting vocational education as a second-best option, the chapter demonstrates how long-term coordination between education providers, labor market actors, and public authorities has contributed to making career and technical education a legitimate choice. On a personal note, I spent a year in Ohio from 2023 to 2024, where Chris was a generous host and colleague. We are both Fulbright Association alumni, and in 2025 Chris was formally approved as Full Professor in his Professor II position at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) – a recognition that reflects the depth of experience and insight that also characterizes this chapter. This is a chapter with much to learn from!

33

2 Comments

Central Ohio: A Growing Beacon for Advanced Manufacturing Talent Great to spend time with Rahim Nichols, CWDP, who is traveling across the country to see workforce and training best practices firsthand. We were thrilled to welcome him to Columbus State Community College, a member of the SME Manufacturing Imperative – Workforce Pipeline Challenge (MI-WPC). During his visit, we toured one of Columbus State's technical training labs and highlighted how professional development is evolving to meet the needs of modern manufacturing. Professor Shane Bendele emphasized the critical importance of hands-on practice and repetition when learning to operate complex CNC equipment, reinforcing that true skill development happens through applied experience. We also showcased our approach to blending hands-on skills training with virtual learning to create efficient, flexible, and highly effective learning experiences that help individuals build real-world capabilities faster. Central Ohio continues to emerge as a beacon for advanced manufacturing, and partnerships like those between Columbus State and SME help ensure our community is aware of—and prepared for—the high-quality, high-demand careers available in today's manufacturing sector. Thank you, Rahim, for your leadership and commitment to strengthening the manufacturing workforce nationwide. We're proud to be part of this important work.

45

1 Comment

How do we keep Indiana’s best and brightest from leaving the state after graduation? Indiana does a great job attracting college students — we rank 8th in the nation. But when it comes to retaining those graduates, we fall to 41st. Within five years of graduation, nearly half of our college grads have left the state. That’s a serious challenge — but it’s one we can solve. In our piece, Chris Lowery and I discuss why graduate retention is critical for Indiana’s economy, communities, and workforce, and how collaboration between education, government, and industry can reverse the trend. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/guB89gMv We believe Indiana can be a place where talent not only comes to learn — but chooses to stay, thrive, and lead. #TalentRetention #IndianaWorkforce #HigherEd #EconomicDevelopment #FutureOfWork #CommunityBuilding

56

6 Comments

Great insight from the Ohio Staffing & Search Association. Across manufacturing, logistics, food production, and light industrial sectors, employers continue to rely on staffing partners — and it’s not just about filling positions. It’s about protecting production, controlling labor costs, and maintaining workforce stability. Why employers rely on staffing firms like Emergent Hiring: 1️⃣ Speed to fill critical roles When production schedules depend on headcount, waiting weeks to hire internally isn’t always an option. Staffing partners provide immediate access to pre-screened, shift-ready talent. 2️⃣ Reduced overtime & burnout Short staffing forces overtime, increases turnover, and impacts safety. Strategic staffing support helps stabilize teams and restore balance. 3️⃣ Workforce flexibility Demand fluctuates. New lines launch. Seasonal spikes happen. Employers rely on staffing firms to scale up or down without disrupting operations. 4️⃣ Access to talent beyond local markets Many manufacturers are now pulling talent regionally or nationally. Partners like Emergent Hiring provide mobile and extended-reach recruiting pipelines. 5️⃣ A backup workforce strategy Top-performing operations don’t rely on one supplier or one labor source. They add trusted staffing partners to protect uptime when internal teams or primary vendors are stretched. This isn’t about replacing internal HR or existing staffing vendors. It’s about strengthening the workforce strategy to keep production running efficiently. At Emergent Hiring, we work alongside HR and operations teams to help fill hard-to-fill roles, reduce downtime, and build reliable workforce pipelines. If workforce gaps, overtime, or turnover are impacting production — let’s connect. Let’s Build Your Workforce Pipeline Together. #StaffingSolutions #WorkforceSolutions #ManufacturingLeadership #OperationsManagement #HRLeaders #TalentAcquisition #WorkforcePlanning #SupplyChain #LightIndustrial #WarehouseJobs #HiringStrategy #StaffingPartner #EmergentHiring

3