By 1808Delaware
Action for Children has issued a white paper entitled “CHIPS and Child Care in America’s Silicon Heartland.”
The CHIPS and Science Act, designed to boost domestic semiconductor production, is predicted to generate hundreds of thousands of new jobs in manufacturing and construction across the country. The Intel investment in Licking County is one such center.
To fulfill the demand for workers in locations like Columbus, companies must address child care needs and options to attract an inclusive and skilled workforce. As a result, the Department of Commerce has made child care a central component of workforce development plans for companies seeking CHIPS Act incentives. A well-designed child care plan is now essential for communities looking to expand semiconductor manufacturing. The success of our child care response will largely dictate the equity of our growth.
The paper used focus groups in its create composed of home-based family child and centers, for-profit and non-profit, from Franklin, Delaware, and Licking Counties. It also sough input from journeyed and apprentice tradespeople who are themselves parents, as well as women in construction management positions.
The document is divided into six sections:
- Child Care Is a Workforce Priority for Everyone
- Meeting the Challenge and the Application Requirement
- Applying the Key Principles: On-Site Child Care
- Applying the Key Principles: Child Care in the Community
- Additional Considerations
- Achieving Chip Manufacturing and Child Care Priorities in Central Ohio and Beyond
A census of current child care facilities and providers shows a woeful lack of available options. The paper provides a framework to assess and generate childcare options in the three county area.
This important assessment can be accessed here.
