Regional employers, educators meet to advance global workforce readiness in Ohio

Dr. Haley Duschinski walks among the crowd and leads a presentation

��Ƶ brought together more than 40 regional employers, economic development leaders, and university faculty and staff for the Preliminary Southeast Ohio Industry and Employer Convening on Global Workforce Readiness on June 23.

The event, hosted by the School of International Studies and Languages in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of Global Affairs, marked the launch of a new university-wide initiative focused on preparing globally fluent graduates and building meaningful partnerships with employers across the state.

“We’re seeing more and more Ohio employers navigating global supply chains, working with foreign-owned companies, hiring international talent and serving diverse communities,” said Dr. Haley Duschinski, director of the School of International Studies and Languages. “These companies need employees who can communicate across cultures, collaborate with international teams and operate with confidence in globally connected environments.”

The convening opened with remarks from Gillian Ice, interim associate provost for global affairs, Executive Vice President and Provost Donald Leo, Dean Patrick Fox of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, and Dean Matthew Ando of the College of Arts and Sciences. Each speaker underscored the University’s commitment to workforce development and international engagement as core priorities for the institution.

Dean Matthew Ando speaks to the crowd at the conference

Held on OHIO’s Athens campus, the half-day event featured panel discussions, small-group sessions and collaborative strategy planning. Participants explored how global education and international partnerships can help meet the state of Ohio’s workforce needs, particularly in high-growth sectors like advanced manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, engineering and public service.

The event was coordinated in collaboration with University offices and colleges focused on building and sustaining industry partnerships across the region and the state. Those involved in the coordination included Jason Jolley, interim associate vice president for research partnerships, Eric Steinberg, associate dean for research and graduate education in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Matt Roberts, senior director of corporate and foundation relations, and Laurie McKnight, senior research manager at the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service.

“Introducing our international students to the region’s businesses that are growing and being part of the global economy, is incredible,” said McKnight. “Providing the support and hands on engagement that we had at the convening will only increase our ability be a global leader. Ohio is fast becoming a leader in the nation, and we want to position our more rural counties to be leaders as well. This was the start of being able to do just that.”

Clayton Newman, Laurie McKnight and Nukhet Sandal lead a panel discussion at the regional event

The first panel, “Voices from the Field,” brought together University and industry leaders to reflect on how global competencies show up in their work and why they matter in today’s labor market.

Dr. Nukhet Sandal, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, emphasized during the panel discussion that intercultural skills and language learning are not add-ons to a student’s education but core competencies that prepare them for a diverse workforce and society.

Clayton Newman, CEO of , emphasized the importance of strong communication and cultural awareness in science and engineering environments, where collaboration often takes place across languages and time zones.

McKnight, meanwhile, shared how international skills intersect with workforce development and economic mobility in Southeast Ohio, particularly for underrepresented communities.

The afternoon panel, “International Students and Ohio’s Economic Future,” focused on the role international students and alumni play in driving innovation and contributing to local economies.

Vanessa Doe, a 2022 graduate from Ghana, reflected on her experience working in employee engagement at DHL North America. She described how her cross-cultural perspective helped bridge gaps in corporate culture and how international graduates bring creativity and flexibility to the workplace.

��Ƶ alumnus Ibrihim Huthman, a structural engineer originally from Nigeria, shared how his international background helped him approach infrastructure projects with greater adaptability and collaborative problem-solving—skills that proved essential in Ohio’s engineering sector.

Hashim Pashtun speaks while sitting at a table at the event

Hashim Pashtun, a two-time OHIO graduate from Afghanistan, spoke about the value of long-term engagement. Now working on policy and community planning initiatives in Ohio, he emphasized the need to create more pathways for international graduates to remain, lead and contribute locally.

Ice framed the panel with economic data, noting that international students contribute more than $1.3 billion annually to Ohio’s economy—including an estimated $70.2 million in Southeast Ohio alone.

“Beyond their economic contributions, international students bring skills, work experience and global perspective to their studies—and to the companies and communities where they go on to work,” said Ice. “They are an untapped asset for the state, especially in STEM, healthcare and innovation.”

Throughout two rounds of employer-led roundtables, participants shared challenges and ideas around building global workforce capacity. Key themes included:

Soft skills and workplace readiness: Employers emphasized communication, teamwork and reliability as essential complements to technical training.
Language and translation needs: Many companies identified gaps in multilingual customer service, regulatory compliance and international outreach.
International hiring and internships: There was strong interest in better understanding CPT/OPT processes and in building pipelines for hiring international students and graduates.
Global market expansion: Companies described a need for university support in preparing for international engagement—through translation services, cultural briefings and global market research.
Flexible, real-world collaboration: Employers expressed enthusiasm for short-term student projects, co-designed training modules and tailored cultural workshops.

The event concluded with a facilitated strategy session where attendees explored options for next steps — including the establishment of services for global and language training, the development of pilot internship programs and the design of a follow-up convening planned for November 2025.

“This is about aligning the international strengths of the University with the priorities of Ohio’s employers,” Duschinski said. “We’re committed to co-creating partnerships that serve the region, strengthen Ohio’s workforce and prepare our students to thrive in a global economy.”

To learn more or explore partnership opportunities, visit the Global Workforce Readiness website at /cas/international-studies-languages/southeast-ohios-hub-global-workforce-development.

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