By: Samantha Weisner, Cuyahoga County Communications Department Editorial Intern

Early results indicate that Cuyahoga County’s new talent development service SkillUp is benefitting all stakeholders involved, including residents, businesses, and the county. SkillUp was recently recognized by the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program (See page 21) as a best practice when it comes to solving the skills gap.

SkillUp helps businesses produce highly skilled workers using a structured training process that aligns with business needs and industry standards. The County is offering SkillUp to help employers grow and compete in a global economy. This program helps residents advance in their professional careers, increase their skill levels, increase their wages, and creates a workforce that is a competitive advantage for Northeast Ohio.

SkillUp supports businesses of all sizes, providing small and midsize companies with the capacity, resources, and expertise necessary to establish effective training plans, which the businesses may not be able to do on their own. The assistance to businesses comes in the form of:
• Expert Advice
• Customized Roadmapping (for each job)
• Coordination and Support Services
• Financial Incentives (to reimburse approved out-of-pocket costs)

Since the initiative’s launch in February 2017, the SkillUp advisory team has provided personalized training solutions to 38 businesses in Cuyahoga County. Additionally, participating workers have experienced annualized median wage increases of about $2,600, while the County has received increased annual taxable income yielding at least twice its investment.

“We are excited to partner with regional employers to fuel their growth and help their employees advance,” said David Feinerman, Head of Workforce Innovation for Cuyahoga County. “Having skilled talent in the right role is key to accelerating business growth and profitability.”

SkillUp is key to ensuring our region is economically competitive and that our businesses are growing and profitable. The initiative supports business growth and profitability through a workforce pipeline that delivers a sufficient and steady supply of qualified candidates at all skill levels to keep jobs filled.

The SkillUp service is not industry-specific, as the businesses that have worked with SkillUp thus far span a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, non-profit, and more.

Employers who are interested in learning more about SkillUp should contact the SkillUp team at (216) 443-6930 or skillup@cuyahogacounty.us.