The Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce held its annual breakfast Friday morning at the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — As the workforce begins to change, business owners are seeking new ways to reach the next generation. Greater Ohio Workforce Board Executive Director John Trott spoke at the annual Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast. Trott detailed surveys and ways the workforce can reach the next generation.
“I want business owners to walk away with the understanding that their greatest opportunity for meeting their workforce needs is the emerging workforce,” Trott said. “They have very specific wants, values and preferences — the best opportunity to recruit them and keep them is to pay attention to what is most important.”
Trott shared data on the emerging workforce’s life goals and the resources they use to find the right position.
“In terms of practical tactics, this generation relies on social media and specifically YouTube to see what businesses are like or a specific occupation,” Trott said. “They are looking and seeing what is the data out there. Often they will say ‘what is a day in the life of a chef or a phlebotomist?’ ”
Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce CEO Jed Metzger said the business partners of the chamber are changing in addition to the workforce.
“The new chamber member is a non-brick and mortar online business,” Metzger said. “We have developed strategies just this year to figure out how we can connect with them because they look at things differently — we had to figure out what would motivate them and what value we can provide them to become a chamber member. We are really strategizing in the future.”
Metzger also said the chamber currently has around 865 members and hopes to continue to grow.
“We need to look at livability in our community and how to make it more attractive for young people,” Metzger said. “There are all of those variables: things to do and places to go. Some of that is coming — you have to keep the pace if you are going to be a strong chamber or a strong business organization.”
The organization also recognized Adah Ellerbrock as Ambassador of the Year.
“(To become an ambassador) you go out and meet the members and find ways we can help improve the chamber,” Ellerbrock said. “If the members have any comments we report it back to the chamber. It is a great opportunity to go out and serve the members and the community.”
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
