Voices and Choices Newsletter

Voices and Choices is truly a unique organization - fluid, in that it is all about us being able to have an impact and well, a voice! They have a newsletter now and I just received my copy in my email this morning.

Manufacturing jobs going unfilled.....I talked about it here. Apparently it is going to be the subject of an Associated Press story with a highlight on Northeast Ohio. Some excerpts are in the newsletter which you can read here. One thing I loved was hearing that an effort is being made to take the newly displaced Ford workers and train them to fill some of these jobs. The catch has been....skill level. While it's true that many manufacturing companies have disappeared, the ones that are unfilled require certain skills. I say get one of Cleveland's junior high (OK, middle school) and high schools more actively involved....a course load that is started in seventh grade that would enable more students 'at the end of the day' to choose a career in manufacturing. The WIRE NET Max Hayes program is fabulous, but we are only talking 25 students at a time. Anyway, that is my thought. What do you think?

Dream It Do It! is a local campaign to solve this problem. They are the ones who are looking to train and place the Ford workers.

If you want your own newsletter, and I hope you do, so you can add your voice to what happens here in Northeast Ohio, go to the Advance Northeast Ohio website. Peace Out - 3C

Need a Job In Cuyahoga County? These Jobs May Be Waiting For You

According to today's Plain Dealer, in an article written by Allison Grant, there are unfilled jobs - chronically hard to fill because the nature of the jobs. Here is the list:

1. Sales representatives
2. Teacher
3. Mechanic
4. Technician
5. Management Executive
6. Truck Driver
7. Driver/Delivery
8. Accountant
9. Laborer
10. Machine Operator

This list is from Manpower, Inc. They interviewed upward of 2,400 employers across the U.S.
According to the Manpower study, engineers and nurses came off the list and teachers and mechanics moved up to second and third place. If you browse our local, available job listings, there are usually teaching jobs 'going begging' and they are almost always in Early Childhood areas, Special Education or Math and Sciences.

I know from interviewing Rebecca Kusner of WIRE-NET a few months ago that local manufacturers are working with them on training programs so they can fill their unfilled job positions.

I was wondering what employers are doing to help meet their goals and the Manpower Study has some answers, at least from those they interviewed. Flexible work schedules and improved benefits were mentioned as changes offered to entice prospective employees.

To view the entire Manpower White paper survey follow this link to the pdf files on line.
Peace Out - 3C

4/10/07 (During the news tonight I saw a commercial. I swear it was called 'Dream It, Do It', and it talked about being a machinist and what it means in today's world. Paid for by a bunch of people, including NEO manufacturing companies. I wasn't dreaming myself, was I?)

Curiosity just got the better of me so I headed to Craigslist. They have a substantial employment section and under manufacturing? Steady job listings. For example:

1. A Mentor company looking for a Precision Grinder (well it actually said precision grider and since I'm not in manufacturing, that may or may NOT be a typo!) Familiarity with blue prints needed. Pay is hourly, they said $14 and up.

2. Two positions as a welder in a Cleveland company; all in all, over 14 jobs listed in the manufacturing field since April 1st.

Lends credence to the original article/survey done by Manpower Inc, yes?