Why Manufacturing Companies Should Take Advantage of Talent Development Opportunities

NJ, March 12, 2021 - Torsten Schimanski, NJMEP

Do you remember the times before Covid-19? By the end of 2019, the number one topic in manufacturing and supply chain industries was the skill gap issue. Employers were looking at apprenticeship and other upskilling / talent development pathways to respond to the lack of talent. Baby boomers were retiring, and businesses need skilled talent to fill those important positions.

It seems so far away but it still is the pressing issue for the industry and for employers no matter their size. The public eye does not focus on it very much these days, global public health dominates the news.

This is where manufacturing and supply chain industries will experience damage to their talent pipeline in the long run.

First:

Manufacturing exists and it is alive – in New Jersey we count 11,000 employers in manufacturing, STEM / STEAM industries.

This is extremely important to know. Many New Jersey’ans guess that there are 5-100 companies in the state.

If teachers and counselors believe that there are only 50 employers in the state, they will not mention opportunities to their students / job seekers and the image problem of the industry multiplies.This faulty concept presents a risk in the talent development pipeline for the industry. If public believes there are a few employers in the state, why should one bother to look into the industry at all? The odds scoring a job would be miserable. But with 11,000 employers, the odds are excellent.

Second:

Manufacturing usually does not have shopping windows. Technology driven production processes happen in facilities that are not necessarily on Main Street and in buildings where one cannot see what is going on inside.

Industry 4.0, augmented reality, robotics, automation are some of the terms that describe the technological progress in the industry as well as the attractiveness and sustainability of jobs in the industry. It is exciting technology, challenging and efficiency driven. In some ways the perfect toy store for adults with interest in technology.

Production takes place behind closed doors and without the public eye it will continue to be a secret. No matter if it is the food, packaging, metal or pharma sector, to name just a few.

Third:

Manufacturing in New Jersey is essential – throughout 2020, companies did not have to close based on decrees. NJMEP played an instrumental role in the decision-making process in NJ and we are proud to be one of the core industry advocates.

Keeping doors open helped many employers and employees. Some business models may have changed and the way we should look at talent development pipelines should be adjusted, as well.

Employees left companies in 2020. Some will return to their previous jobs, many will not. Upskilling was paused at many companies because of other priorities, including closed schools, job training facilities or lean workforce resources.

We cannot just wait

Since early 2020, High School and Vocational school graduates, ready to enter the workforce, experienced massive changes in their daily school routine as well as reduced hands-on training offerings. This will change the nature of interviews between companies and job starters.

With these changes and many others, we are not able to wait and see and believe everything is going to be fine. 

The time is right to take control over the workforce development pipeline and steer the process to a new workforce of young talent interested in technology and the company they are working for.

Hiring New Co-Workers

Were you hunting for new staff in 2018? It was probably not easy and took weeks or months to accomplish. How about 2019, did you have to fill any positions? The experience was probably the same as in 2018, maybe a bit worse, the process took longer. Are these hires still on board today?

2020 was eventually a different experience in many ways – in case you hired someone – it looked like the two years before, with an increasing hiring process duration.

Let us put it this way. Those that truly enjoy the hiring of new staff are rare. Too gruesome is the process and too small the candidate pool that fulfills the requirements of employers.

Everything Will Be Better Next Year, Right?!

It is remarkable. We are working in an industry where we quickly learn that maintaining and fixing things is crucial to the production process. The waiting makes it worse and down-time is the natural enemy of manufacturing.

When it comes to future talent, the same thought process does not apply. We identify the skills gap and the lack of talent for the 345,000 jobs in the industry in New Jersey. We know, some of our co-workers will retire because they just celebrated their 60th, 65th or even their 70th birthday. And there are not 10-15 people in line to take over.

The talent development pipeline is relatively empty, maybe even broken in some ways. And just like your conveyor belts or CNC machines, the pipeline is not self-filling or self-repairing.

Therefore, we are not going to see an influx of young talent walking through your door asking for jobs. And it will be the same as 2018 / 2019 in 2021, 2022 …!

So, What Is the Point?

Island solutions are not the answer to a national- and state-wide problem. You are in competition for limited workforce resources with 11,000 other companies in the state. And yes, you are in competition with many more companies from other industries for youngsters ready to enter the workforce, looking for an entry level job. Now you are also competing with health care, retail, banking, insurance, IT – well, you name it. And these are eventually the companies with a ‘shopping window’ and a public industry standing.

We only can influence the process if we get involved as an industry. Everything we need is available:

-         Manufacturing Frontline Worker Apprenticeships

-         Logistics Frontline Worker Apprenticeships

-         Technical Sales Apprenticeships

-         Bootcamp Sessions for Entry Level Staff

-         Certification for New and Entry Level Staff

-         Open Enrollment Training

Is that an investment in your company? Absolutely, yes. Will you be able to form and shape the future talent for your company? Certainly. Are you doing it already?

It is the time to get together and NJMEP is offering to take the lead and stirring the efforts. The programs are in place, we support all participants and even help with administration! That should be a good enough reason to start a conversation.

We do not need 11,000 companies to start an upskilling revolution. The first 100 will make a wave that others cannot ignore.

Concrete Offer For Employers

Here is the hands-on approach NJMEP is offering to the manufacturing and supply-chain industry from February 2021 to June 2021 – call it the starter package:

1. Let’s upskill your entry level staff and those looking for formal training online (Covid compliant, of course) so they will graduate with the Certified Production Technician or Certified Logistics Technician credential from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC USA).
2. Let’s walk them through the entire curriculum and keep them on track
3. Let’s make sure the investment is covered 100%. There will be no costs for you.

If this sounds interesting to you, here is more:

• NJMEP upskills high school and vocational school seniors that graduate in summer 2021 with the same credentials – they are ready for an entry level job soon. Would you like to meet them?
• NJMEP upskills adults and career changes with the same credentials – they are ready for entry level jobs now. Would you like to meet them, too?

 Investment Insurance

Are you wondering what happens if you are investing in skills and knowledge of new and existing staff and then, at one point, they want to leave you?

There is no insurance that you can pay for that prevents you from the fact that people are coming and going, while others stay for 10 or 20 years.

But an investment in the workforce correlates with retention and loyal staff. 

Now It Is Up to You

The offer above is real and no strings attached.

This is not just a summary of an industry observation – this is a concrete offer with a concrete approach to the workforce development problem.

The door is open, you are invited to participate. Please ‘walk’ in. From here it is just a phone call or email to make the first step.

 ***

Torsten Schimanski is the Director Workforce Development & Apprenticeship for NJMEP, the Manufacturing Extension Program for New Jersey.

NJMEP’s mission as a public-private non-profit organization is to increase growth and resilience of the manufacturing and supply chain industry in NJ through operational excellence, innovation and growth, and workforce development services.

MEP is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology – the national MEP system comprises 51 office in 50 in the US and Puerto Rico.