Southeast Ohio Career System Builders Chosen for National Effort to Rethink and Revitalize Economies in Rural Communities
The Southeast Ohio Career Systems Builders includes staff from BB2C, Washington State College of Ohio, Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service at Ohio University, the Appalachian Children Coalition, and Ohio Southeast Economic Development.
Spring 2025– Southeast Ohio Career System Builders was selected by CivicLab to participate in a three-year incubator to rethink and revitalize their communities by strengthening rural higher education and employment systems. Southeast Ohio Career System Builders joins other communities participating in this cohort from states across the country, including Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Supported by Ascendium Education Group and ECMC Foundation, Southeast Ohio Career System Builders is receiving training, technical assistance, and direct financial support for system-level strategies that create stronger education-to-employment pathways aligned to future economies.
After a national call for proposals, Southeast Ohio Career System Builders was selected through a rigorous review process and demonstrated a readiness to focus on rural redevelopment in order to strengthen the communities they call home for the future.
“We were fortunate to receive many strong applications from interested communities,” said Amber Fischvogt, director at CivicLab. “ Southeast Ohio Career System Builders brought together the necessary partners in their community and demonstrated their readiness for a new type of conversation about rural talent development and systems building.
The Southeast Ohio Career System Builders strengthens partnerships between education and economic development to help students become “path-makers” in their career journeys. By improving stakeholder collaboration and expanding access to place-based experiential learning, they support student agency and career exploration in healthcare fields. At the same time, they work to better align career pathways with industry needs, ensuring that students have more opportunities to pursue in-demand careers within the region. This effort helps connect education to workforce development, engage students in their communities, and highlight the strengths of Appalachian Ohio.
This partnership brings together key organizations dedicated to strengthening career pathways and workforce development in Southeast Ohio. Jeremy Ward (partnership lead), Emily Bentley, and Jordan Spence represent Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C), fostering connections between students, businesses, and communities to support career exploration. Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO), represented by Stacy Allen and colleagues, provides educational programs that prepare students for in-demand careers. The Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service at Ohio University, with Allison Ricket as a data co-lead, enhances public value through research and strategic partnerships. The Appalachian Children Coalition (ACC), led by Anna Reed, focuses on improving children's well-being through advocacy and investment in workforce initiatives. Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE), with Kara Willis serving as a data co-lead, supports economic growth by aligning talent development with industry needs. Together, these organizations collaborate to bridge education and employment, ensuring students have access to meaningful career opportunities in the region.
Jeremy Ward, BB2C Network Director explained, “Through our work with CivicLab, we look to amplify the positive work already underway in Appalachian Ohio. System building will help us leverage partnerships and strengthen practices to continue our mission to foster relationships that inspire career choice. Dissolving barriers and aligning efforts and initiatives will lead to stronger student agency and awareness of pathways in our region.”
The Southeast Ohio Career System Builders joins a cohort including:
Berkeley Chamber Rural Initiative – Berkeley County, S.C.
Convening Organization: Berkeley Chamber Educational Outreach
Focus: Berkeley, Charleston, & Dorchester Counties
Community Education Coalition – Bartholomew County, Ind.
Convening Organization: Columbus Learning Center Management Corporation
Focus: 8-county region in south central Indiana
Expect More Tehama – Tehama County, Calif.
Convening Organization: Expect More Tehama
Focus: Tehama County
FutureMakers Coalition at Collaboratory – Southwest Florida, Fla.
Convening Organization: Collaboratory
Focus: Hendry and Glades Counties
IMPACT Independence – Independence County, Ark.
Convening Organization: IMPACT Independence
Focus: Independence County
John Jay WorkReady Institute – Jay County, Ind.
Convening Organization: John Jay Center for Learning
Focus: Jay County
Our Future in UNiSON – Anston & Union Counties, N.C.
Convening Organization: Wingate University
Focus: Anston & Union Counties
Tuscarawas Valley Industry Sector Partnership –Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Convening Organization: Tuscarawas County Economic Development Corporation
Focus: Tuscarawas County
Western Montana Care Workforce Collaborative – Western & Central Montana, Mont.
Convening Organization: University of Montana
Focus: Western & Central Montana
The initiative launched in July 2024 with a team from Southeast Ohio Career System Builders attending a three-day institute focused on stakeholder engagement and system building tools. A total of six institutes will be provided over the three-year period.
The Southeast Ohio Career System Builders have received new data sets and methodologies to support a novel approach to economic development. CivicLab will provide its spatial diversity census books and new methods of qualitative data collection and analysis to each community, supplementing their existing use of labor market data.
“Communities have historically relied solely on labor market projections when making economic and talent development decisions,” explained Dakota Pawlicki, director of Talent Hubs at CivicLab. “By bringing new data sets rooted in place and people, we are equipping rural communities with a comprehensive and home-grown approach to community vitality.”
Each partnership has co-created a workplan that builds upon their existing efforts and will help implement strategies towards their unique goals. These plans go beyond organizational strategic plans and focus entirely on what a community can achieve only by working together.
Connect with the BB2C Network to learn more by emailing jward@bb2careers.org.