Rep. Nick Sanchuchi outlines bills to link students with jobs and help manufacturers modernize

Rep. Nick Sanchuchi, a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, told the Message from the House podcast that he is pursuing a package of measures aimed at boosting youth workforce participation and helping manufacturers modernize.

Sanchuchi said the centerpiece is the GRAD Act (House Bill 119), which he described as a program to bring businesses into school districts so students can learn about job pathways and obtain internships, externships or paid opportunities. "The GRAD Act is going to bring businesses into the school district and allow young people to actually go business‑to‑business and learn what opportunities are out there for them," he said.

He presented the Community Connectors proposal (House Bill 98) as a complementary measure that would fund job coordinators housed at educational service centers. "The state will hire a job coordinator that will be housed at those ESCs," Sanchuchi said. "That job coordinator will go into each school district, recruit young people that want to work, teach them soft skills and professional skills, and then ultimately place them in a real life job opportunity." He said the bill had favorable reception in the House higher education and workforce committee and that he is "praying" it will reach the finish line.

On manufacturing, Sanchuchi described House Bill 159 as an extension of a manufacturing technologies assistant grant program to help firms upgrade expensive, outdated machinery. "This vision...is to create a grant program that will allow our manufacturers throughout the state of Ohio to apply for these dollars...so that they could be more productive and more efficient," he said, adding that the measure is intended to avert a competitive disadvantage against other states.

Sanchuchi framed these bills against what he described as a drop in workforce participation among 18‑ to 24‑year‑olds and a broader cultural shift away from early entry into the workforce. He urged changing public messaging to encourage young people to take entry‑level jobs that build transferable skills — fiscal responsibility, time management and interpersonal skills. "We've got to start changing our messaging and encouraging them to enter the workforce so that they can pay taxes and contribute to society and be productive citizens," Sanchuchi said.

He also discussed state programs that support workforce development — including merit scholarships, the Choose Ohio First program, TechCred and Ohio Means Jobs — and said those programs are valuable but must be paired with employer investment in employees. "If we can have individuals that get an entry‑level role, have that business invest in that person to elevate them...that proves to that employee that that company's willing to invest in them," he said.

Asked about constituent feedback, Sanchuchi cited several barriers to youth employment: students feeling overwhelmed by educational pathways, cultural changes that delay independence, and practical obstacles such as drug‑test failures. He stated that "40 to 60% of applicants fail their drug test going through an interview process," and raised concerns about human trafficking as a factor affecting where families choose to live. He presented those figures and concerns as observations from his work with local employers and organizations.

Sanchuchi also raised tourism and "beautification" of public spaces, including airports and roads, as longer‑term priorities for economic development. The episode concluded with the host directing listeners to the Ohio House GOP Caucus social pages.

Next steps: Sanchuchi said he expects to continue pursuing the GRAD Act, Community Connectors and the manufacturing grant bill through committee and toward floor consideration.