Skills Shortage: What Manufacturing and the Community is Doing About It NOW

There is a skilled labor shortage in manufacturing. It is an immediate and long-term challenge. It is a local, state and national problem. We could talk about the whys and point fingers, but what would be the point? Locally, we are long past the discussion phase and into the action phase. Be advised, our community is on it. We are harnessing every resource available to us and continue to seek solutions.

The Volusia Manufacturers Association, the Center for Business Excellence, Volusia County Economic Development, Volusia and Flagler counties schools, Daytona State College, ERAU, the News Journal, FL MEP, and, hopefully, you after you read this, are working to solve this multi-faceted, short and long term problem.

Companies need skilled people now. We are acting. The Center for Business Excellence with VMA and Volusia County Economic Development are working with military recruiters, developing a virtual job fair, holding job fairs and using every channel of communication to recruit people. They are working with Daytona State College in developing short-term training programs to train on basic skills. Manufacturers are training, both new and current workers.

The biggest challenge is that people just do not know manufacturing exists in America let alone right here in Volusia and Flagler counties. Our local companies make great products and provide jobs and careers with opportunities for personal growth and development. There are over 400 manufacturers in our area, making products sold locally, nationally and globally.

VMA's number one strategic goal is to build a skilled workforce in our area. Our Dream It! Do It! Program is focused on the 16- to 26-year-olds. Its manufacturers are adopting Volusia County high school manufacturing-related Career Academies. For example, the companies that have adopted the Academy of Information Technology and Robotics at Spruce Creek High School are helping the students prepare for the national First Robotics competition by providing engineering and welding assistance.

Manufacturers have the students tour their plants, they are speaking in the classrooms. They are providing co-ops and internships. They are helping to fulfill the academy teachers wish lists. They produced career display boards which are hung at the Advanced Technology College in Daytona. It is the only location in the area that shows who the manufacturers are, what they make and all the jobs and careers they have.

VMA has dedicated volunteers working with ERAU to connect its 300 mechanical engineering students to internships with the area manufacturers. VMA will work with all schools to connect students, teachers and parents to manufacturing.

The schools and colleges are encouraging students to take classes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses. University High School in Orange City has a STEM Academy. These are the skills needed for manufacturing. Many jobs in manufacturing do not require a college degree. But they do require people with strong mathematical and mechanical skills.

Daytona State College has just received a grant to improve and accelerate the existing training and education system in advanced manufacturing. By aligning its vast resources and partnerships and offering wide access to training that will help address the growing critical skilled workforce shortage faced by the state's manufacturing industry and related industry clusters. This, in addition, to its over fifty manufacturing-related courses like machining, simulation and robotics technology, certified production technician, engineering technology and welding technology that are already available.

The governor is harnessing resources to focus attention on this issue. State policies will be changing to channel students into careers where there are viable jobs.

The Manufacturers Association of Florida (VMA is a member) is lobbying the legislature to provide additional funding to colleges and technical schools for producing students with industry certifications. Currently high schools receive additional funding for every industry certification a student earns. This is not the case for colleges. With twelve colleges in Florida implementing comprehensive manufacturing and other industry-focused career paths, colleges should be incentivized to produce students with industry credentials. Such credentials assure a much greater possibility for success in the job market.

Goals produce their own solutions. Our local manufacturers, community organizations, economic development, schools, colleges, volunteers are working to meet the goal of producing the most highly skilled workforce in advanced manufacturing in the country. We have made a start. We need everyone with the focus we had in the 1960's when President Kennedy set the goal for the USA to be the first to land on the moon.