Marano Fellows Class of 2011

Name: Janice Urbanik
Organization:

Greater Cincinnati Workforce Network

Location: Cincinnati, OH
Primary Industry Sector: Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Health Care
Type of Organization: Workforce Intermediary

“I have my dream job! I am most motivated when my skills and interests match a critical need - when I think I can help. Sector work is targeted to meet the needs of employers and job seekers and I am passionate about helping both.”

Organizational Mission: GCWN, formed in 2008, envisions a regional workforce development system that meets the dual needs of employers and employees to foster economic growth and opportunity. Our mission is to grow the skills of our workforce by improving/aligning the resources of our workforce development system.

Interest in Sector Work: Our region’s long-term economic success depends on our ability to grow a qualified workforce. Businesses increasingly need higher skilled workers to compete, and workers need skills and preparation to secure well-paying jobs and advance in their careers. Yet, one-in-three local businesses struggle to find qualified workers for in-demand jobs, and nearly half of our region’s adults lack the skills required to secure good jobs and achieve financial stability. Our three targeted sectors, health care, advanced manufacturing, and construction represent over 30% of the jobs in our region.

GCWN is a comprehensive public-private partnership initiative to help get low skilled, low income people back to work and ensure that local businesses have the skilled workers they need to compete. GCWN is currently led by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and was created when Cincinnati was selected to be a part of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions.