WARREN — The findings of a study done by Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries and the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber to examine the region’s workforce needs and barriers to employment are ready for public release.

The community needs assessment, done over the summer, can provide the footing needed to move on solutions to boost and bolster the local labor force.

The results will be announced Friday at the chamber’s 2024 Public Policy Conference.

Shelley Murray, chief executive of Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, will present the data and discuss the process of the assessment as well as how the findings could improve workforce participation.

That will be followed by a panel discussion on workforce participation and development — one of three panel discussions at the conference on important public policy issues affecting the region.

“That’s what we’re going to talk about, what we can do, what are the steps we need to take to try to overcome some of these barriers,” Brenda Linert, the chamber’s director of community affairs and community impact, said of the assessment’s results.

“Hopefully, some of their suggestions will be things we can take to the next level in the coming months … these may be starting points for types of action plans on how to overcome barriers,” Linert said.

The panel discussion will include a representative from Lake to River Economic Development, the newly created entity focused on job creation and business growth in the region, representatives from OhioMeansJobs and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, and state Rep. Nick Santucci, R-Howland, who is vice chairman of the Ohio House’s economic and workforce development committee.

Murray said the results of the assessment were expected, but the study solidified the need. Having a formal process that led to certain determinations of workforce needs and barriers, she said, sets into motion post-assessment action to address the needs and tear down the barriers.

One of the issues that might not have been discussed before that should be included in future discussions is mental health, she said.

Murray added workforce development is not an issue that solely belongs to the chamber or Goodwill, but is worthy of communitywide discussion and commitment.

Removing barriers, she said, “is not happening in a silo,” and will “take the community to do.”

The half-day session at the Grand Resort in Howland also will include panel discussions on economic development and site selection process readiness, and energy reliability and sustainability.

The economic development / site selection panel will include representatives from Lake to River, Trumbull County Planning Commission, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and Western Reserve Port Authority.

The energy panel will include state Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, R. Columbiana, a member of the House’s energy and natural resources committee and vice chair of House’s utilities committee, and representatives from Encino Energy, Enbridge Gas Ohio and First Energy.

The public is welcome to attend. The deadline to register is Tuesday. Register at regionalchamber.com under the Events tab.

“We would invite and encourage local government leaders to come because all of these topics are things we think they will have an interest in and getting different viewpoints on,” Linert said, adding the invitation extends to business leaders “and really anybody who is interested in the local growth and future of our region,” as well.

2024 Public Policy Conference

The Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber’s 2024 Public Policy Conference is Friday at the Grand Resort in Howland. Three panel discussions are planned:

• Economic development and site selection process readiness

• Energy reliability and sustainability

• Workforce participation and development

In addition, Shelley Murray, CEO of Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries will release the findings and discuss the process of the Community Needs Assessment, which analyzed workforce participation, as well as what’s next.

The deadline to register is Tuesday. Register at regionalchamber.com under the Events tab.