How to Attract and Retain Top Manufacturing Talent: Part I
7 Start-Early Ideas Precision Manufacturers recognize that a qualified and skilled workforce is essential to their success. Sadly, fewer young people are choosing careers in manufacturing because they are unaware of either the opportunities available or educational requirements needed. This diminishing talent pool for precision manufacturers to choose from has led to a real shortage of workers. Manufacturers must think both inside and outside the box when it comes to pursuing, attracting and retaining talented workers. Here are seven commonsense and creative ways that could boost your success in the future. Plan a career day Don’t wait until students are…
Think LinkedIn When Looking for a Job in Precision Manufacturing? You Should.
Assembler? Quality Inspector? Toolmaker? If you’re looking for a job in the precision manufacturing industry, do you first turn to social media? Do you think about networking on LinkedIn? Chances are LinkedIn and social media are among the last places you regard as helpful in your job search. But you would be wrong. Yes, it is true enough that many professional jobs are listed on LinkedIn, and that is how LinkedIn got started. Though manufacturing firms may have been slower to hitch to the LinkedIn wagon, they now have a strong presence. Manufacturing companies also compete for needed talent. On…
Preparing for Future Manufacturing Staffing Needs May Be Two-fold
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…
Tips for Networking with Local Manufacturers
By Stephanie Poirier, MPS Technical, Branch Manager The Minnesota and Wisconsin job market has proven to be extremely tight over the past few years with recent unemployment rates at an all-time low of 4.5% in Minnesota and 5.7% in Wisconsin. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) While this seems to be an advantage for candidates looking for work, it can still make it difficult to find a job within manufacturing. Many manufacturing positions are requiring technical skills or degrees and many companies are hesitant to budge on their requirements. This can make the job hunt especially difficult for entry-level candidates or…
Manufacturers Take Action: Skills Gap & Boomer Retirements
In a tight labor market, finding qualified workers to meet customer orders and replace retiring baby boomers is becoming increasingly difficult. It may seem overwhelming, but there are actions you can take today to position your company for future success on both fronts. The skills gap is expected to only get worse in the coming years as more baby boomers retire, reports Industry Week. Below are three industry best practices for overcoming the skills gap: Change perceptions, drive more interest. More people need to choose manufacturing as a career. Now is the time to look at our local community and…
Events Around Town: Onboarding That Works
In July, we had the privilege of attending “Onboarding That Works” sponsored by The Manufacturers Alliance. This event was designed to highlight and promote best practices with respect to the onboarding of new employees. Members of the Business Development team, Matt Knutson, Dana Boettcher and Dave Rohlf, attended. Topics covered included: 1) how to get new employees to bring their best efforts to work everyday, 2) how to speed up their learning curve, 3) how to provide the right message, the right tools and timely follow-up so that valuable new talent starts contributing as soon as possible. Presenters from Kurt…