Manufacturers Start to Target K-12 Students for Future Workforce

Even during the hardest months of the recent recession, employers in some niches—including the manufacturing industry—reported trouble filling certain positions. Some jobs require specific skills or training, making it more difficult to find the right candidates. Other jobs are less desirable in today's culture, which means younger generations may pass on certain opportunities. Manufacturers attempting to secure a future staff are targeting K-12 students with various programs that strive to change perceptions about occupations in the field.

One university is pairing grad students with children in elementary, middle, and high schools. The program, which is sponsored by the Georgia Institute of Technology, is built on a partial crowdfunding model. Students and other members of the public can donate to the program, choosing to fund one of twenty projects. The grad students then complete the projects, sometimes with active participation from younger students. Upon completion, the grad students present the projects to students in grades K through 12. Creators of the program hope to engage the interest of students in science, technology, engineering, and math—all educational paths that are important to companies in the manufacturing industry. 

Georgia Tech isn't the only organization getting younger generations involved in interests that are crucial to the manufacturing industry. John Peterson, the owner of Schuette Metals in Wisconsin, says that the biggest asset for a company is people. Peterson says that companies concentrate resources on physical attributes and don't spend enough on people. One of the ways Schuette Metals puts an emphasis on people is by reaching out to local students as early as junior high. The company wants students to know that jobs in the manufacturing industry provide opportunities and are high tech. The company's student outreach program, along with its employee training practices, are part of the reason it won the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year award. Schuette Metals was recognized at a banquet in late February 2014 for its work.

Not every manufacturing job requires a college education, which is another reason those in the manufacturing industry are reaching out to schools. Students looking for meaningful work with only a GED or high school diploma could find opportunities for growth in manufacturing and other industries. For manufacturing companies, letting students know that good jobs are waiting is a first step in engaging future staff members. As it becomes increasingly difficult for some students to afford a four-year university education, jobs that offer training and growth potential for young, inexperienced workers will become more attractive.

Talking about manufacturing to kids in elementary school may seem like a waste of time, but the manufacturing industry must plant seeds now for a strong future. It's increasingly difficult to fill highly skilled positions, and avoiding a shortage of qualified workers in the manufacturing industry of the future could depend on the right messaging today.

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)