How Industrial Metal Cutting Companies Can Bridge the Skills Gap

July 15, 2016 / employee incentives, Employee Morale, industry news, LIT, maintaining talent, operator training, productivity, skills gap

With more baby boomers leaving manufacturing jobs than entry-level candidates choosing a career in manufacturing, there’s no doubt that the manufacturing skills gap exists. However, a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and The Manufacturing Institute found that while some manufacturers aren’t feeling the gap yet, others are worried the gap will widen.

According to the June 2016 PwC study, 33% of manufacturers say they have little or no difficulty hiring talent while 41% have “moderate difficulty.” This doesn’t mean, however, that a worker shortage isn’t on the horizon: 31% of manufacturers see no skills shortage now but expect to see one within the next three years. In addition, another 26% believe the gap has already peaked and 29% think it will only get worse.

While no one knows if or when the gap will worsen, the point is that companies need to address it now. In most cases, managing the gap will require companies to change the way they train and maintain talent. According to the eBook, Five Performance-Boosting Best Practices for your Industrial Metal-Cutting Organization, companies are rethinking their hiring tactics and beefing up training programs to help bridge the gap.

Aluminum manufacturer Alcoa, for example, has quadrupled the number of its internships at its Technology Center in New Castle, Penn., in the past three years to ensure it attracts and retains top talent, according to an article from IndustryWeek. In addition, the company is partnering with a community college to train 60 students in additive manufacturing and 3-D printing.

The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. is also working to boost enrollment in metal forming and fabricating career paths. As reported here, the association developed a multi-media site to showcase stories, videos and interactive resources to raise awareness of technical education. Educators at 12 schools across the country will have memberships to the site (www.eduFACTOR.org) in an effort to attract and develop a new-generation workforce.

In addition to new hiring strategies, companies also need to be sure their training programs are designed to take on a new generation of workers. According to an article from American Machinist, there are a few ways to implement effective training to help bridge the skills gap:

Make training mobile. As we discussed in this blog post, mobile technology is changing the manufacturing landscape. Besides increasing productivity, portable devices can be used as virtual textbooks. Create web-based training that is optimized for smartphones and tablets so your workforce can brush-up on best practices, learn new techniques, and develop new skills anywhere and at any time.

Make it easy to digest. Keep training content short and sweet, especially given that manufacturing and engineering subjects can be detailed and, let’s be honest, not the most exciting to read. Create training content that is streamlined, divided into short chapters or sections, and that is clear, concise, and geared toward employee engagement.

Teach skills they won’t find somewhere else. Training, in general, will help your industrial metal-cutting operations run more efficiently, but it can also help you edge-out the competition when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. Provide training that equips employees with the skills unique to your operation and products, especially with entry-level employees. Custom training will not only boost operational productivity, but will also create an incentive for those employees to grow along with your operations.

Proactively attracting new talent and investing in training can help bridge the skills gap within your industrial metal-cutting operation, but they are only two pieces of the puzzle. Cultivating a company culture that actively and continually invests in its employees can have a long-term effect on not only the quality of your workforce, but the quality of your operations as well. People affect process and can play a huge role in an operation’s success.

Do you think the skills gap is affecting your metal-cutting operations? What strategies are you implementing to bridge the gap?