The news has been filled
with stories about a “skills gap” in the manufacturing sector. While experts
disagree on the severity of the current problem, they all agree that if not
mitigated it will become a very real and very big problem by the end of the
decade. One study even puts the number at a deficit of 875,000 highly skilled
workers in 10 years.
At Keats, we have always
been concerned with finding the next generation of skilled workers. We feel
that one part of the answer lies in a strong and paid internship program. In
fact, we recently hired five new employees from our latest internship group.
Historically, manufacturers have recruited through colleges, high schools and
vocational schools. While there was a time when this might have worked, it just
doesn’t get the job done anymore. Thanks to cut backs in actual hands-on
manufacturing training in today’s schools, kids just aren’t graduating with a
high enough level of skills or in many cases, none at all. Our internship
program allows us to not only see who can develop the best manufacturing
skills, it also lets us understand who will be the best as a worker, and a team
member. Unlike blindly hiring based strictly on qualifications, we get a detailed
look at our interns’ work habits, motivation level, and dedication to learning.
Thanks to these tangible
benefits, the internship program has been a smashing success. A recent
graduation ceremony for the statewide internship program, which has supplied
interns to Keats, not only produced some promising new employees but also
featured a speech by Illinois’ Senator Dick Durbin praising our efforts.
The skills gap problem is
not going away on its own. Companies, schools, and governments need to focus on
finding and creating solutions as soon as possible. We hope that our successful
internship program will inspire others to follow us in building a strong future
for American manufacturing.
