Workforce Management

Survey of Manufacturing Employees Reveals Strong Interest in Apprenticeships

A new survey of more than 18,500 manufacturing and logistics employees across 45 states provides valuable insight on what blue-collar workers are looking for — beyond wages and job security. Conducted by industrial staffing firm EmployBridge, the feedback shows most workers are eager to learn new skills that involve more complex problem-solving and decision-making.

According to the survey, 90% of workers voiced an interest in apprenticeships, with 38% saying they were “extremely interested.” It also found that due to the strong demand for skilled labor, 26% of respondents said they are actively pursuing new jobs, while an additional 30% would consider a new job if an opportunity presented itself. 8/8/2019

Industry-Recognized Credentials Webinar is Thursday

Industry-Recognized Credentials can be a key tool for workforce development. But how can Ohio’s manufacturers best utilize them? Find out by participating in the OMA’s one-hour webinar set for 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15. Presenters will be Montez King, executive director of the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), and Monica Pfarr, executive director of the AWS Foundation, American Welding Society®. To register or for more details, click here. 8/8/2019

Report: Cleveland Needs More Manufacturing Training for Students

A recent report by Manufacturing Works — a manufacturing advocacy partner for the Cleveland area — urges the Cleveland school district and the private sector to work together to train more students for manufacturing careers. The report emphasizes the need for such skills-training particularly in the city’s eastern and southeastern suburbs.

In Cleveland.com‘s story on the report’s findings, it’s noted that “as few as 300 students graduate each year from manufacturing-related vocational programs in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties, while those communities have 4,300 job openings requiring training annually.” Dan T. Moore, owner of the Dan T. Moore Company and the Cleveland Industrial Innovation Center, is quoted as saying training needs to start in the fifth or sixth grade since “passion at that age comes from making something.” 8/5/2019

Industry-Recognized Credentials Webinar, August 15

Industry-Recognized Credentials are all the buzz lately, but what are they and how can manufacturers best utilize them for workforce development? Find out by participating in the OMA’s one-hour webinar set for 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15. Presenters will be Montez King, executive director of the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), and Monica Pfarr, the executive director of the AWS Foundation, American Welding Society®. To register or for more details, click here. 8/1/2019

Survey Finds More Young People Aware of Manufacturing Careers

Members of Generation Z are hearing the message that manufacturing offers rewarding career opportunities. That’s the finding of a survey by Leading2Lean (L2L), which says 32% of young Americans ages 18-22 have had manufacturing suggested to them as a career option, compared to 18% of Millennials and only 13% of the general population. The L2L Manufacturing Index also found that a majority (59%) of Generation Z agrees trade schools offer promising career opportunities for high school students.

Despite the positive trends, more education and communication are needed, L2L says, since too many members of Generation Z are not cognizant of the high-tech nature of modern manufacturing. 7/30/2019

Budget Includes Funding for Industry Sector Partnerships

House Bill 166, the state operating budget, includes $5 million over the biennium for industry sector partnerships — widely recognized as a proven strategy for meeting the employment and skill needs of workers and employers. Sector partnership members — under manufacturers’ leadership — collectively work to address local workforce needs.

The OMA, which advocated for the inclusion of these workforce development dollars in HB 166, has set up a statewide network of partnerships. This updated Manufacturing Industry Sector Partnership Directory shows there are now 16 regional organizations operating across Ohio. (To learn more, connect with the contact listed in the directory for your region.)

Contact Rob Brundrett for more information about this budget provision. 7/18/2019

Ohio Students Will Now Have a Better Chance to Experience Manufacturing Careers

After weeks of negotiations on the new state budget, the Manufacturing Mentorship Program was included in the final report on House Bill 166.

Over the years, OMA members have voiced frustration regarding their inability to hire minors and give young people work experience in a manufacturing setting. The OMA led the charge to ensure that more students can experience manufacturing careers with real, hands-on opportunities.

Under current Ohio law, only minors who are part of a “bona fide educational program” may participate in such manufacturing activities. Under the new law, 16- and 17-year-old students will be allowed to work part-time in a manufacturing facility under the guidance of a “mentor.” This will give students the opportunity to gain exposure to manufacturing careers while in high school. 7/18/2019

Report: Most Job Openings Ever in U.S. Manufacturing

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job openings in the U.S. manufacturing sector rose to a new all-time high, up from 496,000 in April to 509,000 in May. At the same time, the Federal Reserve this week reported that U.S. manufacturing production was down for the second consecutive quarter. 7/16/2019

Workforce Participation Rates Still Near Record Lows

A decade after the end of the Great Recession, America’s — and Ohio’s — workforce participation rate is still near record-low levels despite years of economic growth. As of May 2019, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 62.4%, even as the state’s unemployment rate continues to decline.

Recent research from the Federal Reserve shows the main reason for the participation rate decline continues to be baby boomer retirements. But another key factor is the steady decline in the participation of prime-age workers, especially men ages 25-54. (The participation rate for U.S. men has fallen from 86% after World War II to roughly 69% today.) Financial publication TheBalance.com cites the rise in disabled workers as another driver, fueled in part by drug use and obesity-related diseases. (The Social Security Administration’s disability payroll roughly tripled from 1990 through 2014, peaking near 9 million.) 7/16/2019

New In-Demand Jobs Survey for Employers

This week, the DeWine-Husted administration relaunched the In-Demand Jobs Survey for employers. The governor has called the survey “one of the most important tools the state uses to direct its workforce development efforts” since the feedback helps the state determine its In-Demand Jobs List.

Officials at the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation say this year’s survey is much more user-friendly, straightforward, and less time consuming. Employers will be asked to forecast their top hiring needs for the next one, three, and five years.

Click here to take part in the survey. Questions and feedback regarding the survey should be sent here. 7/11/19