Columbus plays an integral economic role within the Great Lakes Mega-region which is the third largest mega-region in the world. As a modern manufacturing hub, The Wall Street Journal recently called Columbus “an export powerhouse” after it grew its exports as percentage of local gross domestic product by over 17.8% coming in second place for export growth in the United States. (Source: The Wall Street Journal, September 11th, 2008)

Columbus was ranked as the top metro area for job growth in the State of Indiana. It is a true pocket of greatness that continues to create a broad array of employment opportunities that are high-tech, high-concept, high-production, and high-touch. (Source: Indiana Business Research Center)

To make these connections, the community created Columbus Young Professionals (CYP). CYP’s goal is to provide social networking, professional development, and community advocacy to young professionals throughout Columbus. It provides a peer network that connects talent to the city’s activities and opportunities. With a distribution list of over 900 professionals, CYP builds influential relationships among the region's talent. Find out more: www.columbusyp.org 

Columbus is home to a cosmopolitan array of thriving international companies. More than 30 international companies from countries such as China, Germany, India, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, and Canada have headquarters or offices located within Columbus.

The city’s workforce is equally diverse. Columbus aspires to be an inclusive, plug-and-play community where outsiders can quickly become insiders. To further these ideas, the city has created the Columbus Area Multi-Ethnic Organization (CAMEO)—a broad-based coalition of ethnic associations which coordinates activities that advances the concept of a “welcoming community” and promotes an appreciation of the traditions and customs of residents from all ethnic cultures.

Fact: There are more than 44 different languages spoken by students within the Columbus public school system.

Corporate responsibility, ethics, and a commitment to give back to the community have always been core values of Columbus, Indiana. The largest employer in city, Cummins Inc., was named as one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens in the United States by CRO magazine—the eighth straight year the company has received this recognition. While the list is drawn from more than 1,100 of the largest U.S. publicly traded companies, Cummins Inc. is one of only 11 companies to make the list every year since its inception. This ethic of corporate stewardship cascades down to every level in the community.

Significant Economic Clusters within Columbus:
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Automotive Engine Manufacturing
• Automotive Parts
• Precision Engineering and Design
• Fabricated Metals Manufacturing
• Precision Tooling and Molds
• Emissions and Controls
• Embedded Systems
• Agriculture and Agri-Business
• Financial and Business Services
• Regional Health Services and Healthcare
• Education and Knowledge Creation

Columbus is taking a fresh approach to learning. The Community Education Coalition (CEC) is a nationally recognized partnership of education, business, and community leaders focused on aligning and integrating the region's community learning system with economic growth and a high quality-of-life. Collectively, between the public and private sectors, the Columbus area has invested more than $130 million in its learning systems in just the last several years. Find out more: http://www.educationcoalition.com 

Economic Opportunities 2015 (EcO15) is an ambitious effort building upon Southeastern Indiana’s economic growth areas which include Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare Services, and Hospitality/Tourism. Impressed by the learning model the City of Columbus was creating, officials from Lilly Endowment Inc. provided $38 million in grants that will support the initiative which seeks to create a truly regional system of life-long learning. The vision of the project is to connect the residents of ten counties within Southeast Indiana through education to better economic opportunities by the year 2015. The project seeks to move residents up one level in their education, training, and/or job placement, coordinate and align a regional system by connecting the dots, and be a catalyst for regional leadership. Find out more: http://www.eco15.org 

Columbus was the first city in the U.S. to adopt the New Tech Project-Based-Learning Model across all educational levels including K-12, middle school, and high school. Called the Columbus Signature Academy, it’s mission is to re-invent teaching and learning for the 21st Century by offering a model of team-centered, project-based learning conducted in a technology-rich environment.