The health care sector represents approximately 1 in 5 workers — from nurses to social workers — in the Mahoning Valley.

More are needed, an industry official said.

Last week, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services released its preliminary average quarterly employment report from October through December 2024.

Health care and social assistance workers in Mahoning County numbered 19,817 for the quarter, with 10,467 in Trumbull County. Both ranked No. 1 in employment categories for each county, the state reported.

Statewide, the sector’s 862,066 workers represent the top employer.

Larry Moliterno, CEO and president of Meridian HealthCare, had a mixed view of the numbers.

“The reality is there’s been a shortage of nurses since COVID, but a lot of people have entered the field since then and we feel confident that we’re at a good place with our nursing staff,” he said. “However, the need for social workers continues to rise.”

With five locations in the Valley, Meridian specializes in primary and behavioral health care. Moliterno said that of the system’s 252 employees, 155 of them provide health and social services.

He said the industry faces challenges attracting talent and with compensation.

“It’s difficult to attract medical professionals that want to move to the area,” he said.

“Our experience is that salary requirements for medical and social professionals have gone up 30%, which can make it harder for organizations to compete in recruiting staff from these vocations.”

After health care, manufacturing represents one of the Valley’s leading employers.

In Trumbull County, manufacturing ranks No. 2 with 10,234 workers, followed by retail trade, 9,738; local government, 7,786; and accommodation and food services, 7,272.

For the same period in Mahoning County, retail trade came in second, 11,507; accommodation and food services, third, 10,008; manufacturing, fourth, 9,278; and local government, fifth, 9,149.

Alex Hertzer, Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition executive director, said the sector’s entry-level hiring requirements have stabilized after being down for the year.

“Right now, the biggest challenge is retention, not necessarily finding people, especially at the entry level,” Hertzer said. “Employers are bringing folks in, but keeping them engaged and showing up consistently continues to be a struggle.

“There is still a huge need for skilled roles like machinists and especially maintenance technicians.”

Skills are necessary, but so are addressing real-life issues such as transportation, child care and growth.

“That is where we are trying to support both workers and employers,” Hertzer said.

The coalition offers several programs throughout the year.

“There is a strong talent pool here, but many people need help getting from interested to ready,” he said. “That is why our training programs and wraparound supports are so important.”

One program, Front Line Leadership Training, assists employers in keeping talent by developing people-centered supervisors. The session starts Aug. 21 with registration due Aug. 18.

Another effort, WorkAdvance bootcamp, begins at the end of August in Youngstown. The four-week earn and learn training prepares participants for entry-level manufacturing jobs.

For more information, visit mahoningvalleymfg.com.

Hertzer said the coalition’s Employer Resource Network looks to provide long-term solutions. Companies that take part share a “success coach” to help workers address personal and professional barriers.

“It is a powerful retention tool and a real show of commitment to supporting the workforce beyond just a paycheck,” Hertzer said.