Battling the Skilled Labor Shortage
This article appeared in the December 2020 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.
Tariffs. Rising raw material prices. The frantic pace of new technology. Throw in a global pandemic for good measure and Michigan manufacturers face a number of tough challenges. Chief among them: the skilled labor shortage.
It’s an issue that’s been plaguing our industry for years and the reasons are many. Highly skilled baby boomers continue to retire. Fewer kids in schools and in career and technical education (CTE) programs. These factors alone would be hard to overcome and, in most sectors, business continues to grow.
But, for manufacturing, there are also deep-seated cultural forces at work in our country exacerbating the uphill battle — from antiquated perceptions of what a modern career in manufacturing can be, to a fundamental shift (at home and in schools) making digital devices the primary tools that our kids hold in their hands.
Fortunately, Michigan’s industry is responding. With typical smarts, resilience and resourcefulness, dynamic companies all over the state are finding innovative ways to change perceptions of manufacturing, while also training new candidates, upskilling current employees and keeping workforces motivated and engaged.
Attracting Skilled Labor through Community Engagement
COVID-19 has curtailed many activities, including MFG Day 2020. Many companies opted out but some, like Alro Steel and Alro Plastics, participated in virtual online events. The theme was “Creators Wanted” to highlight the need for skilled labor and the rewarding career that modern manufacturing can offer.
“Modern manufacturing jobs are difficult to fill today due to a shortage in skilled labor,” offers Alro Steel President & COO David Schmidt. “We need to recruit students by showcasing the opportunities available for growth in the manufacturing industry. Manufacturing Day allows us to inspire the next generation of students to embrace careers in skilled trades.”
On Michigan’s west side, manufacturers came together to help form Talent 2025. Described as a catalyst, its charge is to evaluate leading practices, illuminate gaps and advocate for advanced sectors and a higher trajectory of degrees and credentials to make West Michigan a top 20 employment region by 2025.
Talent 2025 is composed of many regional CEOs, including Jay Dunwell, President of Wolverine Coil Spring Co. in Grand Rapids.
Dunwell, a past recipient of the John G. Thodis Michigan Manufacturer of the Year Award, has been an active collaborator in many manufacturing initiatives over the years — the latest being a collaboration with West Michigan Works!, local economic developers, educators and manufacturers called Discover Manufacturing. With a mission of helping manufacturers promote, train and network, the next phase of Discover Manufacturing is a program tentatively called Adopt-a-School.
“It’s a program designed to help employers and schools connect for job shadowing, facility tours and more. We’re basically showing manufacturers how to get started,” explains Dunwell.
Preparing Skilled Labor through School Partnerships
Connecting with educators, students and parents and exposing them to today’s clean, high-tech manufacturing settings is critical to changing outdated perceptions. It’s also an essential step to dispel myths about automation and technology eliminating future manufacturing jobs.
“Yes, technology is advancing, but our message is that it just means the people we need are advancing too,” says Laura Preuss, Workforce Development and Human Resource Manager at Marne-based DeWys Manufacturing.
“Once upon a time, manufacturing was viewed as a great place to get a job after high school,” Laura says. “We need to get that distinction back.”
But reaching out to educators and students to create awareness is only part of the solution. Michigan manufacturers are also finding ways to help schools and technical facilities develop skilled labor candidates.
Saginaw-based Fullerton Tool Company partners with a variety of local schools, including Delta College, where they’ve helped procure grinding machinery and contributed to a curriculum that enables Fullerton to use Delta College for their journeyman program.
According to Patrick Curry, President of Fullerton, “It’s a real commitment for our people but we cover tuition costs, depending on the grades they receive; 100 percent for As, 80 percent for Bs and so on.”
In Escanaba, Engineered Machined Products, the 2001 Michigan Manufacturer of the Year, focuses on cultivating local talent through area high schools by sponsoring First Robotics.
“We support the teams financially, as well as through hands-on time with our engineers,” explains Vice President Paul Harvey. “We, in turn, are able to identify kids with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that we want in an employee. When we find a student that wants to pursue engineering in college, we continue to support them through internships and scholarships.”
Humphrey Products, a corporate fixture in the Kalamazoo area, has been nurturing the seeds of workforce development for most of their nearly 120-year history. “We believe that education is the best way to address equity, poverty and lack of hope in our communities,” says Humphrey President Dave Maurer. “Our best source of skilled labor has been employing co-op students through the local career and technical education programs. It’s an opportunity to introduce machining to kids with good engineering minds. Then they can use our tuition reimbursement program for further learning.”
All this said, it’s important to remember that local schools and technical training programs also need our help and support to strengthen their organizations.
Bill Henderson, President of Aircraft Precision Products Inc. (APPI) in Ithaca and chairman of the MMA Board of Directors, offers a great example.
As an active member of the Central Michigan Manufacturers Association, he and others recently helped get a career technical education millage passed to help support Mid-Michigan facilities. He’s also been involved in the PRIME® program in partnership with MMA (related story) to help bring additional resources to area technical programs.
“We have quite a partnership going,” says Henderson, “Bringing educators and manufacturers together and getting them to speak the same language helps a lot.”
Boosting Skilled Labor through In-house Training and Upskilling Of course, no matter how much you collaborate with area schools and regional technical facilities, you must be dedicated to your own training and career pathing.
Co-op programs, internships, apprenticeships, journeyman programs, stackable certifications and credentials, as well as special training on the latest robotic and CNC machines, are all an intrinsic part of today’s manufacturing scene.
In fact, when we caught up with Paul Myles, Senior Manager Government Workforce Development and Training Programs at Magna International, he was buried in Going PRO Talent Fund applications. The program makes awards to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and new employees.
“Our business is moving at internet speed,” says Myles. “Addressing skills gaps in our people is a top priority and an ongoing challenge.”
For emphasis, Myles adds “Upskilling has everything to do with our success. We know it and we value it.”
But he doesn’t stop there. Myles makes sure employees know that Magna is investing in them and their careers.
“At the 90-day mark, we recognize new hires and discuss where we want them to be in six months, building stackable credentials, maybe attending a robot training course (through Michigan-based FANUC Academy). We build our people up so, within two years, they’re in an apprentice program.”
Myles tells people they can grow at Magna. And he backs up his words with action.
The same holds true at Lansing-based Cameron Tool Corporation.
“Right now, we have 12 apprentices,” says Human Resource Manager Carey Combs-Oberlin. “When they finish their apprenticeship, they have career opportunities throughout our organization. It’s how we train the future leaders of our company.”
Attracting and Retaining Skilled Labor through Dedication
Everything discussed so far sounds good but none of it happens on its own. It all takes hard work and dedication.
Big global manufacturers like Magna have a full-time workforce development pro like Paul Myles. But most manufacturers don’t. So, what then?
Well, in the words of Wolverine’s Jay Dunwell, you need a Donna Crowl.
Donna is the operations manager at Wolverine. But, in reality, she’s much more than that. She’s also the company matriarch of candidate outreach. Employee engagement. Company culture. And, yes, workforce development.
In addition to her day job, she helps make school engagement happen, as well as the training associated with Wolverine’s apprenticeships, job shares, co-ops and more. But just as importantly, Donna knows that if you don’t create a great work environment where employees feel valued and appreciated, you’re likely just training them for some other company.
“I want people to know that there is opportunity here. That they can grow here. And that we treat employees like family here,” says Crowl.
Crowl is also a woman of action. She doesn’t just talk about inspiring employees. She brings in motivational speakers that move colleagues to tears. She doesn’t just encourage walking as a healthy activity. She shuts down the machines for company walks along the Grand River because it’s good for her workforce.
The manufacturers in this story are fortunate to have an in-house talent champion. Find yours — maybe within your own walls — and you’ve taken the first step toward solving your labor shortage issues.
Have a manufacturing story to tell? E-mail communications@mimfg.org.