A candidate for the U.S. Senate made a campaign stop in the Valley Thursday calling for federal legislation that would link two-year colleges and regional trade programs to local needs.
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner announced her plan while speaking to local leaders at Vernon's Café in Niles. She said the program would help this area because of the strong work ethic in the Valley.
She added that despite the region's high unemployment rate, clean energy jobs are emerging as a way to help transition workers from traditional manufacturing and construction careers.
She saw part of that transition when she toured the Electrical Trades Institute of Northeast Ohio, where they are getting workers ready for the future.
"This would be huge," said Mark Catello, IBEW business manager. "We lost 10,000 jobs in manufacturing. We need new technology so we can get and preserve the current jobs we have."
Union leaders said they are already working toward the future. Thirty percent of their members have been trained on green technology, such as newly installed solar panels at a training center in Champion.
Brunner said that training is what's extremely important.
"As this technology develops into commercialization, employers will want us to be ready and trained to bring them in," Brunner said. "So this training benefits all of us."
The IBEW is endorsing Brunner and officials there said they believe she will help bring jobs to this area. Brunner will face Ohio's current Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher in the Democratic May primary.
