Spring is coming, and that means there are literally thousands of high school seniors who will be graduating in May. Many of them are not sure where they will land in terms of jobs for the summer. Chances are that most do not even realize the great career training opportunities that await them if they only could be made aware. That is where manufacturing companies come in, and GCAMP can help!
The pandemic may have slowed or prevented manufacturing businesses from recruiting and training their future workforce last year, but now is the time to seize the opportunity and prepare to do it this year.
The skills gap will not fill itself. It takes time, commitment and partnerships with local schools and colleges, trade associations and policymakers—perhaps even other manufacturing companies—to help gain needed exposure to rewarding careers in manufacturing. By partnering with educators, you reach the students. If the students become interested, they tell their parents about it (parents often do not consider manufacturing to be a career pathway in today’s world, but those of us who work in manufacturing know better. Parents must be educated, too!). Trade associations offer many different certifications in skills that advanced manufacturing careers require. Policymakers hold the purse strings that help fund new and advanced skills training programs and related equipment, not to mention the reimbursement programs for companies who bring on apprentices and interns.
Not sure where to start? Thinking you are too busy with paid work to dedicate resources for training apprentices? Don’t worry, because that’s where partnering with organizations like GCAMP can help ease the process and get your apprenticeship program underway.
Think of GCAMP as a bridge between manufacturers and the resources available for recruiting and training young talent and solving the skills gap employment crisis. It is a crisis, make no mistake about it. According to a recent report issued by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, the shortfall of appropriately skilled, available workers in US manufacturing will reach much higher levels than the previously estimated two million during 2015-2025. This is, in part, due to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is transforming the way manufacturing uses technology and the Internet of Things to produce products and compete globally. Deloitte says this has created a “mismatch between available workers and the skills necessary for open jobs. Part of the challenge the industry faces is understanding how today’s jobs and associated skills are morphing into new jobs and career pathways that continue to evolve along with advanced technology.”
This data may seem daunting to some, but it provides just one more reason that we must join forces with organizations that can help us navigate the waters and fill that pipeline with talented young people. These bright minds will carry on the legacy of US manufacturing and keep it strong.
Contact GCAMP today to initiate a plan for apprenticeships and internships that will pay off in valued employees tomorrow.
