The Educational Service Center of Central Ohio partnered with Werth PR to launch the Workforce Super Pilot (WSP), a targeted initiative connecting recent high school graduates with good-paying jobs in central Ohio.
Research from the Governor’s Executive Workforce Board found that more than 5,000 central Ohio graduates each year do not enroll in postsecondary education and face a high risk of underemployment. State leaders sought a modern, data-driven approach to reach this hard-to-engage audience and connect them directly with employers offering sustainable career paths.
Werth PR led strategy, messaging and full campaign execution, deploying digital advertising, social and text outreach, and in-person activations. First-party data enabled precise targeting and direct connections to careers paying at least $40,000 annually ($20/hour). Werth PR also managed employer recruitment through an RFP process, securing partners including BBI Logistics, CK Construction, Hikma, Team Fishel, OSU Wexner Medical Center and Worthington Enterprises.
The pilot generated strong engagement and proved the effectiveness of targeted, data-informed outreach, establishing a scalable model for strengthening central Ohio’s workforce pipeline.
