This article appeared in the May/Jun 2024 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.

Michigan manufacturers continue to find creative solutions to the talent crisis by implementing transformational strategies and gaining deeper insights into workers’ expectations.

Intentionally making workforce development a key part of your business development strategy is essential for continued growth, says Neogen Corporation Chief Human Resources Officer Julie Mann, and many manufacturers have seen firsthand how much this purposeful mindset can contribute to attracting and retaining talent in the industry.

This approach, according to Mann and other industry leaders, has led to mentoring programs, more collaboration, regional partnerships, training centers and so much more.

Developing the Workforce through School Partnerships

Matt Carr, President of Livonia-based Storch Products, is passionate about the need for manufacturers to get into schools to provide their expertise, train future employees and make the profession “real” in students’ eyes. By serving as a mentor in local schools and by offering a “nonofficial apprenticeship program,” he has seen how much of an impact such an investment can make in attracting future workers.

“When I say I’m hiring, hands go up immediately. There are people waiting on standby who would like to come,” Carr says. “Just get straight into the skilled trade schools and try to hire those kids when they’re halfway through their program.”

By doing so, the company can coach these students as they work part-time while they finish their schooling. Once the students graduate, business leaders can feel confident in offering them full-time positions, a natural next step.

David Maurer, President and CFO of Kalamazoo-based Humphrey Products, agrees.

“We need those individuals coming out of high school with aspirations for those careers, along with some introduction to them through real-life experiences,” Maurer says. “If we’re not offering the appropriate curriculums for that, we can’t hope to ever get caught up.”

Maurer says that a key to moving the needle forward is for manufacturing leaders to participate in local organizations that aim to strengthen the industry, such as Career and Education Advisory Councils (CEACs), workforce development boards and economic development agencies.

The Storch team is so dedicated to these concepts that the business has formed partnerships with local schools and organizations to nurture students interested in skilled trades. The MIAT College of Technology in Canton now has a Storch-themed classroom on site where Carr is immersed in designing the curriculum with other Weld Program Advisory Committee members, as well as mentoring students in applicable skills. Storch also has begun working with the Schoolcraft College Manufacturing and Engineering Center as well as Goodwill of Greater Detroit.

“It’s all about long-term seed planting,” Carr says. “We reap what we sow, and we have to be planting seeds. We haven’t been out farming enough, in my opinion, across the country and across the state.”

One thing he has found helpful is to donate drops/scrap metal materials that may not be useful to them but are perfect for schools for use in welding or other trade programs, he says.

“That’s what galvanizes relationships. That’s when they see you as a partner,” Carr says. “Executives need to just get a truck and show up. Be a part of their skill development. Offer to talk to the students in a formal class setting and talk about their path, not only your company. Don’t show up with cozies and ink pens — show up with some metal.”

Creating Advanced Education Opportunities Earlier

Giving students the opportunity to experience the joy of manufacturing firsthand is a key to attracting them to these jobs after graduation. That is the story behind what is currently underway in Kalamazoo County.

Recognizing gaps and stumbling blocks in training opportunities in the county, Humphrey Products became involved in a steering committee that led to the pending development of a world-class career and technical high school.

Operational costs for this initiative, led by Southwest Michigan First and Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA), will be funded by a millage that voters passed in 2019. An anonymous benefactor donated the land and $100 million for the initial development of the facility.

During the planning phases, committee members visited career and technical education centers across the country to inspire their vision for a world-class center that would attract not only students but also their parents, as parents’ support is key to encouraging careers in the skilled trades, Maurer says.

The development of the nearly 102,000-square-foot center is expected to be completed by the fall of 2025. It will feature realistic work environments that mirror real-world work experience. Many CTE centers provide stellar educational opportunities for students across the state but this is the first of its kind in terms of design, size and classroom and lab features in mid-Michigan.

Empowering the Workforce

While developing advanced education centers and programs is fundamental, the need for manufacturers to have specific goals in mind is also essential.

Mann says that to develop your workforce, you must have a talent strategy based on three key components: assessment, development and creating movement.

“If you don’t know your current workforce or understand where the business is going, then you’re just developing people without having a clear vision of the goals you want them to achieve,” Mann says. “The critical part of growth is aligning the business from a workforce development perspective.”

Human capital is an asset for a business, she says, so it should be continuously nurtured and optimized.

When it comes to talent development, businesses are stronger when they join forces — even if they are competitors, Mann adds. Competitors have the same goals when it comes to workplace environments and skill development. Working together to develop good leaders can be advantageous because, even if an experienced professional leaves one company to work for a competitor, that individual’s skills benefit both companies at some point.

“Collaboration with other regional employers is foundational to the success of the industry and creates a powerful opportunity for leadership development and employee retention,” Mann says. “It’s not about the individual; it’s about working together.”

Whether you’re in human resources or driving the business, the goals are to stay relevant and make sure you’re always contemporizing your workforce development approaches to grow the business, she says.

“Workforce development is not an event,” Mann says. “It’s a cycle. It’s circular. Your business doesn’t stop. Your workforce development needs don’t stop. You have to stay in sync with where the business is going.”

For manufacturers looking to enhance their workforces, devising bigger solutions can make a significant positive impact. Business leaders who work together to create innovative ideas, maintain strong relationships with community organizations and reach students earlier in their career journeys may find themselves reaping the rewards.

Have a manufacturing story to tell? E-mail communications@mimfg.org.