Although there was recently a time when the number of manufacturing jobs was dwindling, that has changed, and many St. Clair County companies in that business sector are adding skilled positions.
Most jobs available in St. Clair County, more than 22 percent, are in manufacturing, so the need to have highly-skilled people to fill these ever-evolving roles is significant.
So many new jobs are available, that employers are having a difficult time finding people to fill the vacancies.
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That's why business and education are teaming up, to help fill the skills gap and help people find good, well-paying jobs.
Dan Casey, chief executive officer of the St. Clair County Economic Development Alliance, says community leaders have been working to find a solution and have invested a lot of time and money to make it happen.
Partnering with educational institutions and workforce development industries is helping to fill current employment vacancies, as well as new jobs coming to the area. Casey says about 500 new manufacturing jobs have been announced in St. Clair County since the beginning of the year.
Teaming up with the community college is one of the initial steps the EDA took to solve the skills gap problem. The EDA takes a two-prong approach, first looking at the needs of the current workforce, and then searching for new talent and providing the training they need.
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St. Clair County Community College offers credit-based classes for those just learning, as well as workforce development for those who need to update their skills.
Bonnie DiNardo, director of Workforce Development at the community college, says SC4 is meeting every week with industry leaders to determine their needs and face the challenge. The Workforce Development program was reinstated the college about a year ago.
"The need is can vary from manufacturing, soft skills, computer, IT and industrial areas," DiNardo says.
Casey says the partnership with the community college is helpful.
Leaders are working with SC4 and businesses to provide training for those who want jobs in the manufacturing industry through the Michigan New Jobs Training Program
"We use that program when companies find candidates they want to hire," Casey says.
The program reimburses the company for the cost of training. Sometimes the training is provided by instructors from SC4, or when the training is a little more specialized, someone from the company will lead the program.
Grant funding is critical to keeping these opportunities available, Casey says.
SC4 received part of a recent five-year, $6 million grant from the Department of Labor is funding training in the robotics and automation field. St. Clair is one of 16 counties in southeast Michigan sharing the grant money.
The goal is to increase the number of people who are un/underemployed, non-traditional, incumbent and other workers receiving Certified Education Robot Training in the region.
The funds will help train about 900 people in St. Clair County, Dinardo says.
Automation and robotics is one of the fastest growing segments of the industry. The number of jobs is expected to increase by 50 percent regionally in the next 10 years, reaching more than 39,000, so automakers are making it a top priority.
Starting early
While vocational training has mostly been phased out at local high schools due to budgetary constraints, recent efforts have focused on showing students that there are options besides a four-year university that lead to a well-paying career.
For the last several years, area 10th graders have been touring various manufacturing facilities to see first-hand the type of work that is done there, and to rid them of any stereotypes that factories are all grungy and greasy.
"There are good jobs with good wages," DiNardo says.
St. Clair County Regional Education Service Agency Director Kevin Miller says many community partners have helped shape technical education, despite reduced funding.
The Technical Education Center allows students the chance to train for high-skill, high-demand jobs that are available in Michigan.
Working with manufacturers and SC4 on how to best train workers for jobs is at the forefront of many discussions.
Casey says partnerships with RESA and the local high schools has helped students who may not be going to college find a direction.
Each year, 18 to 20 students planning an apprenticeship, or to go right into the workforce, are selected to attend a seven-week summer training program. The program has focused on manufacturing so far, but could expand into other areas, like medical training, if the need is there.
Community leaders survey businesses and determine where jobs will be in the next year, then select a training program. Currently, there's a high-demand for CNC lathing operators. The trainees spend 40 hours each week working and learning the job. After training there's a two-week internship, followed by a job fair to help with placement.
Employers are looking
John Reichle, vice president of operations at VJ Industries, a Marine City-based CNC machining company, told The Keel earlier this year that education and training are a vital part of finding qualified candidates at his business.
Reichle also says that schools may also need to take a look at the programs they are offering, and make sure students are learning the skills they need to succeed in today's manufacturing jobs..
Casey agrees, and is working with SC4 to upgrade its equipment.
"We are working with SC4 to upgrade their lab equipment so that they can provide the best learning experience on the most current,modern equipment."
The equipment can be costly, so identifying grant opportunities is helping to fund the upgrades.
Working together throughout the process is what will ultimately shrink the skills gap.
"We are working with companies in the area to identify what is most helpful, and that partnership is what's so helpful," Casey says.
Leaders are committed to making sure jobs are filled by workers who are trained and ready to go.