Two workforce development areas in southeast Ohio are moving toward consolidation, a change state officials say is designed to strengthen job services for rural and Appalachian communities. Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Matt Damschroder announced that Workforce Development Areas 14 and 20 have proposed merging into a single local workforce area.
Together, the two areas serve eight counties: Athens, Fairfield, Hocking, Meigs, Perry, Pickaway, Ross and Vinton. Area 14 covers Athens, Meigs and Perry counties, while Area 20 covers Fairfield, Hocking, Pickaway, Ross and Vinton, so the merger would unite the OhioMeansJobs services residents use across a broad stretch of southeast and south-central Ohio under one board.
State officials said the consolidation reflects the strong economic connections along State Routes 23 and 33, the corridors that link Chillicothe, Circleville, Lancaster, Logan and Athens to the growing Columbus region. By aligning the two areas, ODJFS said, the region can build greater strategic alignment, strengthen partnerships with employers and training providers, and respond more effectively to rural workforce needs.
“Southeast Ohio’s workers and employers deserve a coordinated, regional response,” Damschroder said. “By bringing these two areas together, we can deliver stronger, more connected services to job seekers and employers across this essential part of our state.”
Rick Szabrak, executive director of Workforce Development Area 20, welcomed the proposal as well. “We have a high-performing workforce board, and this provides an opportunity to expand that reach while finding efficiencies to better serve employers and job seekers in these counties,” Szabrak said, noting the connectivity between the counties as the Columbus region continues to grow.
Ohio currently has 20 designated local workforce development areas, established under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The areas administer employment and training programs through OhioMeansJobs Centers, which offer free services to job seekers — including job listings, resume help and training referrals — and to businesses looking for workers. Every Ohio county has an OhioMeansJobs Center.
For residents, the merger is not expected to close local centers; the stated goal is coordination and efficiency behind the scenes rather than fewer doors to walk through. Job seekers in Athens, Chillicothe, Lancaster and the other affected counties would continue to use their local OhioMeansJobs Center while planning and employer outreach are handled on a larger regional footprint.
The proposal now moves through the redesignation process, which involves the chief elected officials and workforce boards in the affected counties. Once the combined area is formally designated, its board will oversee workforce programs for all eight counties, with the state expecting the stronger regional structure to help employers recruit and help workers connect to training in growing fields.
