MARIETTA, Ohio — Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, visited Marietta on Monday, meeting with local business leaders, educators, and manufacturers to discuss workforce development, tax cuts, and economic growth in southeast Ohio.
“Marietta is a place where you can get a great education, have a long career, and succeed as an entrepreneur, all while living in one of Ohio’s thriving small towns,” Husted said. “All of those southeast Ohio strengths were on full display.”
Husted began his visit at Ohio University, where he met with President Lori Gonzalez to discuss initiatives in health care, energy development, and aviation sciences. He praised the university’s role in preparing students for the workforce through partnerships with businesses and community leaders.
“From our career centers to our four-year colleges, Ohio continues to be a leader in partnering our businesses with educators to prepare students for the workforce,” Husted said. “These partnerships deliver greater opportunity and drive economic growth for the state’s future.”
Husted also held a roundtable with Washington County business leaders, focusing on how recent tax cuts in the state budget will support job creators. He emphasized efforts to reduce bureaucratic red tape to help Ohio companies grow.
“Ohio makes what the world needs,” Husted said. “I’ll keep working to cut red tape to make it easier to operate a business in Ohio.”
At Washington State College of Ohio, Husted toured the career center’s engineering wing and labs, discussing the Workforce Pell Grants included in the state budget. These grants aim to make career training more affordable and address the workforce needs of Ohio businesses.
“Our goal should always be to set students on a quick, affordable path to a stable and rewarding career,” Husted said. “I’m working to put a good education within reach for more students.”
Husted’s support for workforce development includes his work on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, which helped secure Workforce Pell’s inclusion in the budget. He also backed the JOBS Act, enabling students to use Pell Grants for shorter-term job training programs.
The senator concluded his visit with a tour of Eramet Marietta Inc., the only U.S. producer of manganese, a key component in steel production. Husted highlighted the company’s role in supporting Ohio’s manufacturing sector.
“The rebirth of American steel starts here in Ohio,” Husted said. “You can’t have Made-in-America without Made-in-Ohio, and Eramet’s work is a testament to that.”