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San Gabriel Valley Tribune |
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BUSINESS |
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Wednesday, August 16, 2006 |
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Wanted: Skilled Workers |
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Jim Randall has plenty of well-paying job openings. But the president of Allfast Fastening Systems Inc. in Industry is having trouble finding enough skilled workers to fill them. Randall is willing to train young workers and help them get a college education. Skilled workers could make $70,000 or more annually. “Not many kids want to get their hands dirty,” he said Tuesday. “There's a shortage of skilled workers and raw materials.” Randall is in the same position as many other manufacturers across the country. The serious shortage of qualified employees that a vast majority of U.S. manufacturers are experiencing is taking a toll on America's ability to compete in the global economy, according to a survey released last year by the National Association of Manufacturers. More than 80 percent of manufacturers surveyed experienced an overall shortage of qualified workers that cuts across industry sectors, according to the report. And 90 percent reported a moderate to severe shortage of qualified skilled production employees, including machinists, operators, craft workers and technicians. The shortage is a result of many factors, from a lack of educational programs to retiring baby boomers to a skewed perception of the industry. “The shortage of qualified workers is a huge problem,” said Kat Snodgrass, associate director of media relations for the National Association of Manufacturers. Companies can't fill available positions, so they can't expand their operations, said Kat Snodgrass, associate director of media relations for the National Association of Manufacturers. |
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Header Operator, Jason Fox, prepares his machine for manufacturing Allmax Pins at Allfast Fastening Systems in Industry on Tuesday August 15, 2006. Allfast makes rivets for commercial and military aircraft. Manufacturing companies are struggling to fill highly paid positions in their factories. Staff Photo by Keith Durflinger |
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A machine heat treats a blind rivet component at Allfast Fastening Systems in Industry on Tuesday August 15, 2006. Allfast makes rivets for commercial and military aircraft. Manufacturing companies are struggling to fill highly paid positions in their factories. Staff Photo by Keith Durflinger |
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Rosa Esparza, Assembly Line Group Leader, examines parts as they are made at Allfast Fastening Systems in Industry on Tuesday August 15, 2006. Allfast makes rivets for commercial and military aircraft. Manufacturing companies are struggling to fill highly paid positions in their factories. Staff Photo by Keith Durflinger |
