3/14/2016
HEADLINES
PERSPECTIVE: Fastener Foundation Being Pro-Active
Credit: Greg Christensen Photography
There is a looming shortage of skilled workers for manufacturing and distribution jobs and the Fastener Education Foundation was formed to do something about it.
“Put your hands up if you’ve had trouble hiring employees,” Phil Johnson of ContMidGroup challenged members at the National Fastener Distributors Association and Pacific-West Fastener Association joint conference.
It is going to get worse over the next decade, Johnson predicted. “We need to do something about it.”
The shortage of skilled workers “is about the future of the industry,” Kelly Cole of Hayes Bolt & Supply declared.
GE Reports last year predicted there will be three million skilled job openings in the next decade, but two million may go unfilled.
Already nearly one-third of U.S. manufacturers are having trouble filling jobs, Facility Executive found in 2015. The magazine reported that 35% of the difficulty is lack of applicants and 34% because of a lack of technical competencies.
Johnson said manufacturers need employees with “STEMM” skills: Science, technology, engineering, math and mechanical.
FEF is a 501c3 non-profit foundation created by the Pac-West to assist in attracting, training and educating talent. That includes seeking out, informing and funding individuals and companies.
Initial projects include increasing fastener industry awareness and advancing “a mindset of the fastener industry as a career of choice.” FEF will assist high schools and technical colleges in workforce development; work with training centers on curriculum and core skills; applying technology to manufacturing, training and skill building; support individuals through scholarships; support fastener technical centers; apply technology to the industry and developing fastener specialists.
The website states: “FEF is driving pro-active culture of accountability that enables need-based grants and scholarships to insure that anyone interested in the fastener industry, regardless of age, ethnicity or background, can pursue a rewarding career in the fastener industry.”
As is, college graduates “aren’t even aware of the fastener industry,” Johnson pointed out.
“Supporting a pipeline of highly trained-employees for our industry is a no brainer,” Suzanne Dukes of Hayes Bolt said. “Fastener knowledge is not common and it is very difficult to sustain in-house training programs.”
The Foundation is seeking donations via individual and company donations; time from trainers, mentors and fundraisers; and program ideas.
Andy Cohn of Duncan Bolt said the FEF is “looking for individuals to give back to the industry they benefited from.”
The industry can contact FEF board members with questions or to donate: Preston Boyd, Tramec Hill Fastener; Simmi Sakhuja, Stelfast Inc.; or speakers Cohn, Cole or Johnson. Web: FastenerEducationFound.org
Share: