To gain a perspective on blue collar jobs, USA News Today interviewed Mike Rowe, host of “Somebody’s Gotta Do It,” and former host of “Dirty Jobs” as his job requires him to travel the country and speak with the blue collar workforce. As Rowe traveled, he saw “help wanted” signs in every single state and met hundreds of available workers. However, workers were not connecting to available positions because nobody was walking them through the process of how to locate and secure them. “There are 4 million jobs, a very small percentage that require a four-year degree, but most require training,” Rowe continues. “So, we either make training cool, or we continue to look at lots and lots of people looking for jobs and lots and lots of available jobs and no logical way to connect the two.” Although Rowe’s two-fold solution isn’t easy, MPS Technical, a Minneapolis staffing company specializing in precision manufacturing, finds it both interesting and worth sharing. Rowe’s Solution First: change the image that someone without a degree is deficient in skills or abilities. Second: provide a way to connect potential employees with the right training and with the companies who need them. How? He’d change the stereotypical labeling. People who pursue a certification program, trades school, or on-the-job training, etc. rather than a college degree deserve equal respect and value.  “Work smarter, not harder,” he says . . . especially when thinking about high college debt. Further, remove implied judgment of the term “middle skills.” suggests Rowe and make training widely available. “I would talk to young people just getting started in some of these jobs” and they were “excited to learn new things. There’s optimism out there.” Sadly, despite an employee-market, the breach in connecting workers with potential jobs and training programs exists both nationally and locally. It becomes difficult to leverage talent because employers need to get creative to bridge the data gap. Employers need to know the market demand and salary information, not just for their geographical base, but also nationwide. They need to facilitate innovative job-training programs to connect the information gap. For example, one way is collaborating with colleges to launch training programs. Anoka Technical College in the Minneapolis area has run a Precision Sheet Metal Academy for the last five years. If more companies sponsor college training programs, the hiring model becomes sustainable and accountable for results. For example, MPS Technical partners with local educational institutions by speaking to students in the classroom, sharing opportunities before they make their decisions about coursework. We also participate in job fairs. Perhaps a less expensive factor to introduce more workers to a company would be to change job screening algorithms. Then different skills that might pertain to a position will stand out and place more candidates in the hiring pool. Interestingly, a quick glance at the Bureau of Labor and Statistics’ occupation finder catalog, shows an across-the-board increase in manufacturing jobs – and that’s our specialty. As continued research reveals more solutions, we are already working hard to connect talent with companies. In fact, at MPS Technical, precision manufacturing is our primary language -  we understand the needs of precision manufacturing companies, specializing in temporary staffing for companies located in Minneapolis and surrounding areas. Our staff focuses on providing you the best fit employees with seamless onboarding. Contact a branch located near you and discover the benefits of preparing for your present and future staffing needs with MPS Technical. Let’s talk today.