"Even as thousands of Wisconsin manufacturing workers remain unemployed, companies are worried about a lack of skilled labor. Some manufacturers say they've lost business or face stagnant growth because they can't find qualified help.
"Often there's a disconnect between people who are out of work and companies struggling to fill factory jobs that require advanced skills such as reading blueprints and programming computer-controlled machines.
"'I worry more about that than I worry about competition from China,' (Paul) Rauscher said.
"Statewide, 31,000 job openings were posted at Department of Workforce Development employment centers last month, including thousands of openings at manufacturing plants. Yet the state's unemployment rate remains stubbornly high at 7.8% as of July."
And:
"While he was at Bucyrus, now owned by Caterpillar Inc., (Tim) Sullivan moved about 125 welding jobs to Texas because he couldn't find enough people locally with the necessary skills. Show up with the right credentials, and companies such as Karl Schmidt Unisia Inc. could offer you a job on the spot, according to the Marinette maker of engine parts.
"'We don't need rocket scientists. We need people with basic technical skills who know how to use tools, work with their hands and make something happen,' said Ron Kadlubowski, director of machining technology at Karl Schmidt Unisia.
"The company has grown from 250 employees in 1985 to more than 900 now. Currently, Kadlubowski said, it has dozens of openings for skilled machine operators.
"'We have so many openings now, it's amazing,' he said. 'If you come in with a basic skill set, and you don't have some rotten work history, you are going to get hired. And other companies in the area are hiring people left and right. The hard part is finding someone who looks encouraging.'
"One problem in addressing the skills crisis is a lack of basic math skills, manufacturers say.
"Many job applicants can't answer the question 'what is one half of one half,' Rauscher said, and they can't measure something to a fraction of an inch.
"'How are you going to get a workforce together when people lack those basic skills? It's pretty pathetic,' he said.
"A manufacturer looking to fill 134 entry-level jobs, paying $15 per hour, received 850 applications but hired only 17 of the applicants, according to Jim Golembeski, executive director of the Bay Area Workforce Development Board, in Green Bay.
"Many lacked a high school diploma or could not pass basic reading, math or dexterity tests. Others flunked the drug and alcohol test."
Read the entire article: http://www.jsonline.com/business/129200543.html
The dumbing down of America. It's been happening for decades. Good, solid, make-a-living jobs go begging while thousands are unemployed. We reap what we sow.
Posts
14 comments:
Something doesn't smell right about this article. Piggly Wiggly just held a "job fair" for a new store. They had over 200 people show up for jobs. These are not paying $15 an hour jobs, either. I have very competent friends who have submitted hundreds of applications for jobs and hear NOTHING back from the employers. If there is a disconnect between job givers and those who need a job... who is dropping the ball? I'd say the employers.
Also, the jobs this article talks about are in Marinette, not the populous areas of Wisconsin that are really hurting. The unemployment there is most probably not what it is in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, etc.
If you read the whole article, they talk about how many of these companies treat their employees, layoffs at the first opportunity. I'm sure the most competent people, when given an opportunity to go to a job with a better stay rate would seize other opportunities.
Besides, $15 an hour nowadays, in this economy, will barely keep your heat on and food in your belly... not to mention the cost of medical insurance.
I think this company owner needs to do some self examining to see why he is having such difficulties. You do reap what you sow.
Orb's, Great story. They should have added, If your over 45 or so, they are not terribly interested In you. The story Is accurate though. It was bound to happen. Thousands of qualified workers were let go 20-30 years ago, so companies could move etc. All of that talent Is now too old. To the manufactures that are NOW looking for good talent, I say TOUGH SHIT. "As you sow, sow shall you reap" The company I worked for so long, and moved with them tried, and tried to find good help for years, and really NEVER was able to find It. They ended up spending years, and years teaching on the job, at a tremendous cost. A cost you couldn't even imagine. People want jobs today, but they want the "grass Is greener on the other side jobs" cushy jobs, little or no WORK involved.
kkdither, Funny. "Reap what you sow" I read your comment after I wrote mine. I guess great minds think alike.
BTW. Yes, It Is the ownership of these companies.
The story does seem a little hokey. In reality companies love it when unemployment is high, they have a much large range of people to select from, there are a lot more educated people, and many can even read English!
Companies do not want to hire someone who is 50+ because they know they’ll only be around for maybe 15 years at the most. The cost to train someone is in the neighborhood of $20 to $30,000 dollars, a company can’t recoup that money in a short-term employee.
The older their workforce the high insurance premiums they have to pay, old farts get sick or can have major problems easier then a youngster.
Companies today no longer like their 25+ years of service employees, cost them to much for bennies, such as vacation time and profit-sharing. They make the higher dollars which affects their bottom line!
Companies are too greedy. Not to long ago I read an ad for a 2nd shift Floor Supervisor. They wanted the individual to have a Bachelor Degree and a minimum of 5 years on the job experience and where going to pay $30,000 a year! I called them thinking maybe they meant an Associate Degree. No way, they had to have a BA.
To me, the only person who would take this job is someone who is out of work and disparately needs to feed his/her family and mortgage payments.
Often there's a disconnect between people who are out of work and companies struggling to fill factory jobs that require advanced skills such as reading blueprints and programming computer-controlled machines.
I have heard this song for the past 15 or so years. As an example, Gateway here in Racine was/is teaching courses where the student thinks he/she is doing everything right but the courses do not match what companies are looking for. Companies and educators are not on the same track!
Then we have this meathead Walker, in office saying the same thing, we need to educate Wisconsinites, but you ain’t get’in any money!. You go Scotty....
I can rember my employer send me to gateway, they had a cork board in every room with job postings. Employes wanted associale degree with experience but were only offering 7 to 8 bucks an hour for it. I was already making over twice that...
One half of one half is Half & Half.
Orb's, You did It again. Simply amazing.
It's the new math.
It's a new math?
It's called "Fuzzy Math"...
I'll have a hazelnut latte. Can you have it ready in about 7 hours?
KK, Are they Hazelnuts or Filberts? Why or Why do we have this dilemma?
The catch phrase is "SKILLED help." Production workers are a dime a dozen. Of course here are over 200 applicants for unskilled help. "Skilled" help isn't auto detailing. It isn't 95% of the help wanted ads that get stuck in the skilled wanted sections of the paper.
Here's my take on this...
I've been working at the same place for 23 years now. Started there at the bottom levels like sweeping the floors and such before moving up in company. This is what I have noticed over the years...
The company basically hires temp help at first to see if they could "fit in". I have noticed many of the temp help doesn't know some of the basic math skills nor how to read tape measure required for the job. This creates a revolving door for the temps.
Then again, I've noticed a trend of hiring Hispanics (not trying to be racist here, so please don't throw that card at me). Many of them are extremely hard working and make excellent help. I'm sure that they work for a cheaper pay too. Yeah, the big issue is the language barrier.
Hispanics are notoriously hard working. I saw a lot in landscape. They know how to hustle and bust ass.
Post a Comment