DRMA members consistently report that their No. 1 concern is that they cannot find workers with the skills required for today’s advanced workplaces. The skills gap is widening as companies scramble to find qualified employees, and new hires who are not the right fit can mean companies losing out after spending hundreds of hours recruiting, onboarding, and training.
There are a number of manufacturing related industry credentials out there. The most common ones, and the ones that DRMA and local high schools and community colleges are working on, are produced by the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS). More information about these credentials can be found here.
Some of our member companies have taken advantage of the skill sets that these students have acquired and benefitted from hiring workers and interns that have gone through these programs. According to Jeff Perry at FC Industries, “DRMA does a lot to help address the workforce needs of the manufacturing industry. The work they do with educators to incorporate industry-recognized credentials into their curriculum and produce credentialed graduates has helped me find more qualified employees. Industry credentials take the guesswork out of hiring, because the credential tells me what the candidate knows and can do based standards developed by manufacturers across the country. It also shows that the candidate has a genuine interest in manufacturing and has invested time into learning the necessary skills.”
To find out how you can be connected with graduates who have industry credentials and who are ready for hire, contact Kayla or give us a call at (937) 949-4000.