Government Spotlight | August 2, 2022

Intel Hiring Management and Engineering Positions

Intel is hiring experienced professionals for management and engineering positions at its New Albany factory, mostly in terms of facilities and site services. Some positions involve temporarily relocating to Arizona or another site for training assignments lasting from six months to one year. Management roles include site operations and commissioning, as well as project manager roles. There are also openings for chemical, mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing network engineers. The full list, which is subject to change, is available at https://tinyurl.com/mr2zb8px.

CHIPS Act Clears Congress, Draws Bipartisan Support

The U.S. House passed the legislative package including the CHIPS Act last Thursday. U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) both voted for the bill, which passed 64-33 in the U.S. Senate. The U.S. House voted 243-187-1, with support from Ohio’s delegation divided up 12-4.

At a high level, the CHIPS Act provides for $52 billion in federal funding to support investment in semiconductor manufacturing capacity. The main funding mechanism is tax credits for companies who meet certain criteria, or direct spending on R&D by some government agencies. The provisions in the CHIPS Act are comprehensive, attacking the problem from both design and manufacturing capabilities.

The Act provides financial assistance for the construction, expansion, or modernization of a semiconductor fabrication plant, or “fab,” in the United States. Section 9902 of the Act allows for private firms and public institutions, or a consortium of both, to submit an application to the Secretary of Commerce for a federal grant not to exceed $3 billion unless approved by the Secretary in consultation with other federal stakeholders. In addition to proving a demonstrated ability to construct, expand, or modernize a new or existing ‘fab,’ applicants must show that they have made commitments to worker and community investment, and that they have secured agreements with regional educational entities to provide workforce training, and that they have an executable plan to sustain the fab after federal support ends.

Following the vote, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said the bill passage represents “a critical step to support the entire U.S. semiconductor industry and to help ensure continued American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and R&D.”

Intel had recently delayed the ceremonial groundbreaking for its $20 billion semiconductor manufacturing facility in Licking County, citing concerns about the then stalled federal legislation.

Ohio Third Frontier Commission Supports Entrepreneurs

The Ohio Third Frontier Commission approved $82.32 million in funds to six regional partners to support entrepreneurs’ efforts to develop innovative products and grow technology startup companies. The funds are part of the Entrepreneurial Services Provider (ESP) Program, which provides resources such as mentorship, access to investors and capital, support with business services, talent recruitment and incubator, and accelerator programs. The partners will use the money to provide those resources from Jan. 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025.

Afterschool and Summer Learning Program Support

The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) recently announced an initiative to help children find spots in afterschool and summer learning programs by pairing federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money with state and local funding. The Engage Every Student Initiative will use ARPA money to expand programming to help students recover from pandemic learning losses. The department also announced a partnership to pursue the initiative with five coordinating organizations: The Afterschool Alliance, National Comprehensive Center, National League of Cities, National Summer Learning Association, and AASA, the school superintendents association. The coordinating organizations will organize technical assistance offerings in one location for those who are not familiar with particular programs.

Community Schools Classroom Facilities Grant

The state grant program to help fund facilities costs for charter schools meeting certain quality criteria is now accepting applications for a third round of awards. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) started taking applications in July for the third round of the Community Schools Classroom Facilities Grant and will accept them through noon on Friday, Sept. 30. Award announcements are expected in early December. Winners in past rounds of the grant program are eligible to receive an award again. Applications, grant criteria, a list of eligible schools and operators, and other information about the program are available at here.

School Safety Grant Program Funding

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission finalized guidelines for the state’s school safety grant program last week. The latest capital budget (HB687) provided $100 million to cover a new round of school safety grants for public, private, and parochial schools. The grants can be used to pay for baseline security in school buildings, classrooms, parking lots, and elsewhere on school property, as well as to cover security features such as visitor badging systems, facility mapping, school radio systems, GPS tracking on student transport vehicles, exterior lights, notification systems, security training and door locking systems. Through the program, which makes use of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, districts can receive grants of up to $100,000 per school building for safety improvements and updates.

Ohio Business Sponsor-A-Highway Program

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced this week a new litter control program that brings in the business community to help in the effort. Over the past few weeks, the first signage related to the Sponsor-A-Highway program has been installed along highways in the northeast Ohio area. The statewide program allows businesses and groups to fund litter removal services along one-mile, one-direction segments of state highways. In exchange for their sponsorship, the name of the business or group is displayed on a sign within their sponsored segment. The program complements ODOT’s existing Adopt-A-Highway program, where volunteer groups adopt a two-mile segment of a two-lane highway.

Veteran Owned Business: Boots to Business Training Event Aug. 4^th

Boots to Business Reboot is a two-step training program that provides participants an overview of business ownership as a career vocation, an outline and knowledge on the components of a business plan, a practical exercise in opportunity recognition, and an introduction to available public and private sector resources.

Springfield Army National Guard In-Person Boots to Business Reboot

When: Aug. 11, 9am – 4:30pm

Where: 1120 W. Blee Rd. Building 1, Rm. 106, Springfield, OH 45520

For additional information contact abron@vetbizcentral.org or johnathon.c.mitchell.mil@army.mil

Columbus City Council Legislative Internship Program

Columbus City Council offers paid internships during the summer and fall for undergraduate and first-year graduate students enrolled in higher education programs. For the upcoming summer program, the internship will begin on September 12th and end on December 2nd. Interns are expected to work a minimum of 15 hours and up to 20 hours per week and will be compensated $15 per hour. Students selected for the program will be placed in the office of a Councilmember, Community Engagement, Communications, and the Legislative Research Office in downtown Columbus. 

To apply for the Legislative Internship Program, please complete the application here. After submitting the application, please also email a 1-3 page writing sample, as well as a copy of your resume, to NIWalters@columbus.gov. The deadline to apply for the Summer Internship is Friday, August 26, 2022. 

Ohio Cannabis Industry Urges U.S. Senate to Pass SAFE Banking Act

The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act recently passed out of the U.S. House as an amendment to the FFY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The U.S. Senate is now considering the legislation.

Since Ohio’s first medical cannabis dispensary opened in January 2019, the program has generated $927.7 million in sales, according to the latest figures from the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (MMCP). The state’s cannabis industry has also created thousands of jobs and has paid an estimated $121.8 million in state taxes and licensing fees, according to OMCIA.

“The longer we operate without banking services for cannabis-related businesses and employees, the greater the inequity grows in this industry. It is time for a commonsense approach to banking that allows equal access to financial resources so that we can equitably grow this industry and the thousands of living-wage Ohio jobs that come with it,” said OMCIA President Andy Rayburn.

The SAFE Banking Act would protect financial services providers that do business with state-licensed medical cannabis businesses from federal enforcement, thus opening up access to capital and business services for medical cannabis entrepreneurs in Ohio.

Franklin County Futures Program

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners are kicking off a new initiative to help under-served Franklin County residents gain the skills and experience they need to transition into middle-class careers.

The county’s new program is called Franklin County Futures and partners with local nonprofits with proven success to help residents bridge that divide. The program follows the model of the commissioners’ groundbreaking Building Futures and Driving Futures programs. In addition, Franklin County Futures will partner with the Columbus Urban League and staff from Creating Central Ohio Futures (CCOHF) like those previous programs.

Building Futures and Driving Futures provide participants with soft skills training to prepare them for professional jobs, then training more specific to the construction or driving industries. Throughout the program, the commissioners’ Job and Family Services agency provides the students with wraparound support to help address any barriers they may be experiencing.

Franklin County Futures will follow the established model of supporting the participants with the help they need to succeed now while also providing them with training for the future. It’s a partnership with the Columbus Urban League that will identify a diverse group of talented job seekers who may be a good fit for careers in county government. The students will then have several weeks of general workplace training followed by several weeks of training more specific to jobs that are available with the county Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will work alongside Job and Family Services and other county agencies to provide support to them throughout and graduates from the program will be fast-tracked into the county’s hiring processes. In addition, county employees can also use these support services to overcome any barriers they may encounter or need.

County Futures is a free program offered to Franklin County residents eighteen years or older. Program participants will receive career-readiness training in financial literacy, basic computer skills, and leadership and professional development. The program will also make case managers available to assist participants with removing barriers to employment. The Franklin County Board of Commissioners funds the program, and the Franklin County Department of Jobs and Family Services administers it.

Residents interested in county jobs can go to the Teamsters Local 284, 555 E. Rich St. Columbus, Ohio, 43215 on August 6, between 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. A Franklin County, Human Resources representative will be there and able to conduct interviews for open county positions. Creating Central Ohio’s Futures will also offer job readiness assistance on-site.

Dez Bryant
Vice President of Government Relations
dezbryant@columbus.org