From today's AJC:
http://www.ajc.com/business/jobs-available-if-youve-726006.html?cxtype=rss_news

The headline is a bit of a misnomer, but the jist of the article is there is a shortage of skilled machinists, welders, fabricators, etc even with the high unemployment numbers. One of the guys they interviewed is a machine shop owner and claims he can't find good help. Another industry expert claims that "The lack of skilled workers, over the next three years, will be the single biggest issue addressed by governments, chambers of commerce, manufacturers and educators". However salaries for these positions are holding steady which would generally indicate a healthy supply of workers.

I know a lot of people here are engineers working in the industry, I was just wondering what your take on the situation is. I know my company uses fabricators in Canada. (I'm sure there is a financial reason for this, but I'm not sure what it is.) I've been up there, they don't seem to have any problems finding people. But even locally, everyone I've talked to says the biggest problem is their machines are sitting idle, and its not from a lack of people to run them.

11/7/2010 10:49:02 PM

My Dad was an automotive teacher (in NC and Chicago) for 20ish years, and he has been saying for a while now that those sort of jobs are going to be in more and more of a demand. Like the article said, more people aren't wanting to do the 'hands on' jobs (mechanics, plumbers, electricians, machinists, fabricators, etc). He's based this on what he has heard from the supporters (businesses who rely on employees with these skills) of the vocational programs in high schools and community colleges, so this doesn't really surprise me.

Being in the IT/Computer industry, I don't really get a chance to see how accurate this is out in the workplace though.

11/8/2010 12:51:04 AM

A lot of heavy industries rely on machine/fabrication shops but the problem is where the balance lies in getting a production run made for cents on the dollar in china compared to a prototyping job or to-spec work done in-country for much more $ but with better service and response time.

From what I hear through my work division that services our regional power/chemical and biopharm mfg, many machine shops on the west coast are hurting pretty bad for work altogether compared to but I haven't seen nor heard anything to back that up. Personally I think the cheap labor in developing countries will be somewhat offset in the near future by rising transport and fuel costs trying to ship items around the world. IMO the service sector will be the biggest niche market behind technology and R&D even if production is shipped offshore.

Just 5 years ago our local voc college was complaining that no one was taking the advanced machining/welding classes because everyone taking the basic level courses were getting decent enough job offers to not need to spend more $ for the advanced stuff - but I'm betting things have most certainly changed in this economy.

11/8/2010 8:43:20 PM

The employers want people with years of experience with many/all the certifications--candidates that mostly don't exist, or are at least very scarce. They're unwilling to train entry level people (either on the job or by paying for outside training) so this is the result you have. If there's enough compensation involved in terms of training, wages, benefits then qualified/trainable people will enter the market. That's just basic economics.

Quote :

"Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, suggests Winslow and other manufacturers pay higher wages to fill empty positions. “We should be seeing rapidly rising wages in some sectors of the economy if employers are competing against each other for the few qualified workers out there,” Baker said. “And we’re not seeing that in any significant sector of the economy.”"

11/9/2010 9:44:26 PM

I think companies just have too high of expectations, especially the smaller outfits. Seems like they want end of career experience at entry level pay. I've seen more than one recent job listing on craigslist that wanted basically someone capable of designing, engineering, create drawings, programming, machining and fabricating.

I agree there needs to be more incentive to enter the skilled trade work force. However I don't buy the claim that society doesn't value these types of jobs, it would appear that its the employers that don't value these jobs.

11/9/2010 11:01:35 PM