The need for Manufacturing Maintenance Technicians throughout the US

[Cydog]

Good Morning ,

I imagine all manufactures are having similar problems. The lack of Maintenance Technicians ( Mechanics ) . Could you share your experiences , disappointments , successes , and methods you have been using to attract technicians ?

With your experience , what are the causes for employees leaving , and how do you attract them ?

- How does work schedules matter most to employees , more days off , less or more overtime , more opportunities to advance , learn more skill's ?

- Are local community colleges and vocational schools really trying to find jobs for the students , or do they just want to keep them in school ?

Thanks so much ,

 

[bill4807]

So much could be said here.
Ill start with i do not work at a manufacturing facility but what ive seen is new employees get hired for positions they are not trained or have the experience for then get thrown into the fire, which then either discorages them or they cant perform the job and they just leave. We see this with some of our field service techs.

Climbing the ladder..unless im the owner im not to concerned with climbing anything. Find a solid position you like. I have found the higher you want to go the more people you manage or the more traveling you do. The more stress comes your way.

For me (4) 10s would be really nice.
Im not after all the overtime.
Working with different platforms on occasion keeps me interested. Other wise i become somewhat bored.

A good team that works together and doesn't screw you on scheduling projects and timelines is also a huge factor.

That last point has been the reason i have left another company.

 

[bill4807]

I didn't mean a manager position is bad or negative.

I just meant managing people and at the same time managing your projects and doing your projects..
This has been my experience of that type of position, with most places in my area.

 

[Peter Nachtwey]

Good Morning ,

I imagine all manufactures are having similar problems. The lack of Maintenance Technicians ( Mechanics ) . Could you share your experiences , disappointments , successes , and methods you have been using to attract technicians ?

We find people usually from word of mouth or we know the person from being a contact in the industry.

With your experience , what are the causes for employees leaving , and how do you attract them ?

At Delta there are two reasons. The major one is that the person has a personal problem. The second is that people leave to work on their own or with a bunch of friends. They usually do well.

- How does work schedules matter most to employees , more days off , less or more overtime , more opportunities to advance , learn more skill's ?

There isn't any need for overtime. If a project gets delayed, it is delayed. It seems to take forever to get a product out now.

- Are local community colleges and vocational schools really trying to find jobs for the students , or do they just want to keep them in school ?

I think most "technical" schools are in for the money. The graduation rates for are not good and neither is the return on investment. Community colleges are a little better, but I wonder about the experience and quality of the staff.

One can learn a lot from YouTube today. Some of the online sites like Khan Acadamy seem to be OK. There are some good books out there too.

Some people can learn on their own. They are just good a figuring things out. College exposes one to more and widens horizons.









Thanks so much ,[/QUOTE]

 

[cardosocea]

With your experience , what are the causes for employees leaving , and how do you attract them ?

Money, if someone pays better they'll move on. This isn't finding the cure for cancer that gives you higher purpose, it's a method to pay bills and have money to enjoy life.



Time is another, if the schedules are **** and people are being called at home, after a while or an event (like having a kid) it gets pretty annoying and the money starts being worth less and less.



Then it's actually having something to break the routine and being involved in improvements. I've been blessed (and I think it was mutual) to have people at work that were keen on doing installs and develop stuff which allowed me to get on with stuff, but other places are so regimented that time for these things isn't allowed and days are a mix of fighitng fires or maintenance.

- How does work schedules matter most to employees , more days off , less or more overtime , more opportunities to advance , learn more skill's ?

When it involves shifts it's important that they're not played around and changed every time the wind changes direction. The other is where required actually having shifts instead of calling people at home.

- Are local community colleges and vocational schools really trying to find jobs for the students , or do they just want to keep them in school ?

Just yesterday saw someone on another forum asking for help for his homework... teacher asked him to program a PLC2. I advised him to seek legal advice and sue for fraud. On the other hand, would you let go of the wages in industry for teaching wages? I've looked into this before as I'd like to part with knowledge but am not rich to let go of my salary for something like half or less. I wouldn't mind teahing after work either, but those aren't all that common for this sort of stuff it seems.

 

[A_G]

I imagine all manufactures are having similar problems. The lack of Maintenance Technicians ( Mechanics ) . Could you share your experiences , disappointments , successes , and methods you have been using to attract technicians ?

Use recruiters

With your experience , what are the causes for employees leaving , and how do you attract them ?

Lots of reasons given, in general, there often seems to be a dissatisfaction with the job on a personal level, such as conflict with management, disagreements about schedule, excessive travel, etc

- How does work schedules matter most to employees , more days off , less or more overtime , more opportunities to advance , learn more skill's ?

The main issues seems to be too much and unpredictable travel, too much and unpredictable weekend and night work

- Are local community colleges and vocational schools really trying to find jobs for the students , or do they just want to keep them in school ?

I don't know but I have yet to see someone whose education/training prepared them well, usually the ones fresh out of school have a lot to learn

 

[mk42]

Money, if someone pays better they'll move on. This isn't finding the cure for cancer that gives you higher purpose, it's a method to pay bills and have money to enjoy life.

So much could be said here.
Ill start with i do not work at a manufacturing facility but what ive seen is new employees get hired for positions they are not trained or have the experience for then get thrown into the fire, which then either discorages them or they cant perform the job and they just leave. We see this with some of our field service techs.

these combine to create 90% of "I can't find employees" situations.


Companies need to A) pay your people what it takes to make them want to stay. This is almost always more than the bare minimum. B) give people training so they know ho to do their job and then pay them according to their new skill set. You don't get to complain that someone is taking their training elsewhere if you're paying them for the employee they were a couple years ago instead of the one they are now.

 

[tlf30]

As an automation engineer that does both projects and field work, there are 3 things: Pay, Pay and Pay.
If the company pays enough then most things can be over looked. A lot of companies I talk to that cannot find techs and engineers, or are loosing them is because they have a very poor idea of what the pay scale should be. They think that in this day and age 140k/year for an experienced engineer is good pay, and don't understand why they are loosing people to companies paying 200-250k/year.

If you want experience, you have to pay for it. if you want cheap workers, they won't have experience. Take your pick, there is not much middle ground anymore.

 

[DaimondKing]

Rather, the problem is the lack of suitable schools with such a profile (and even if there are, they are not very popular). There is a shortage of specialists in many sectors, and I can tell you from experience that the automotive sector (working for a concern that makes parts for most automotive brands) is very much affected.

 

[mk42]

Rather, the problem is the lack of suitable schools with such a profile (and even if there are, they are not very popular). There is a shortage of specialists in many sectors, and I can tell you from experience that the automotive sector (working for a concern that makes parts for most automotive brands) is very much affected.

The solution to waiting for someone else to train your employees for you is to do it yourself.

 

[Cydog]

Thanks so much , for sharing your experiences. I agree that we all seem to be
struggling . Just looking at the age groups of 20 and 30 year olds . Are they concerned today about pensions and health insurance ? I would imagine the ones
with families . It seems like they are more concerned about immediate things such as a high hourly wage .

 

[mk42]

Thanks so much , for sharing your experiences. I agree that we all seem to be
struggling . Just looking at the age groups of 20 and 30 year olds . Are they concerned today about pensions and health insurance ? I would imagine the ones
with families . It seems like they are more concerned about immediate things such as a high hourly wage .

health insurance for sure, at least anybody who has a lick of sense.



I think everyone accepts at this point that pensions aren't a thing any more, but a halfway decent 401k helps. doesn't make up for bad pay though; no one will be more interested in your job opening because you advertise good 401k, but it might help tip the scales in your favor when the candidate has multiple offers.

 

[goghie]

Solution is understanding that your employees are keeping your brand, and that employees are the most valuable asset you have, beyond any compare, and acting accordingly.

 

[cardosocea]

Are they concerned today about pensions and health insurance ? I would imagine the ones
with families . It seems like they are more concerned about immediate things such as a high hourly wage .

Everything matters. I'll admit that in my early 20's a private pension was off my radar and higher wage was more important until I saw the Government increase, yet again, the retirement age I started caring a lot more.

 

[Ron Beaufort]

I'll post this without comment ...

https://www.foxnews.com/media/mike-...g-millions-men-quit-working-letting-them-fail

peace to all ...