Opportunity Occupations
In 2019, the Federal Reserve Bank published a study showing Toledo as the No. 1 city in the country for Opportunity Occupations, defined as jobs which don’t require a college degree but still pay at or above the national annual median wage of $37,690. The purpose of the study was to address that more than two-thirds of U.S. adults do not have college degrees – and then with that, recognize the success of communities in generating decent-paying job opportunities for non-grads.
“The key to Toledo’s success in nurturing opportunity occupations is three-fold: Our educational system, a confluence of industry and applications, and the cost of living in Toledo.”
— GARY THOMPSON, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, REGIONAL GROWTH PARTNERSHIP
To highlight that study, the Federal Reserve visited Toledo last summer to produce a documentary. The Regional Growth Partnership played the lead role in hosting the Federal Reserve and setting up interviews with businesses, training institutions and employees.