Maintenance technicians have an image problem. Their jobs are considered "dirty." Some consider them "grease monkeys."

The conventional thinking is: If you pursue a career in manufacturing or construction, prepare to get your hands dirty. Unfortunately, this inaccurate perception contributes to a shortage of skilled workers. Some term it a "crisis." In fact, a 2007 Manpower survey ranks mechanics and technicians as the No. 3 and No. 4 hardest-to-fill jobs. Many employers in the manufacturing and construction fields report that as workers retire, there just aren't enough new employees to replace them. Among the hardest-hit professions are pipefitters, HVAC jobs, heavy equipment operators and welders.

Welding Opportunities are Plentiful

Welding is one technical specialty that typifies the shortage. Andre Odermatt, president of Hobart Institute of Welding Technology, claims that half the gross national product is related to welding. Welders are needed in nearly all aspects of industry: automotive, construction, refineries, utilities, mining, bridge construction and aerospace. According to Andre, there are currently half a million welders in the U.S. Most are in their mid-50s and will retire within 10 years.

"We need to fill 50,000 jobs a year," says Andre. "About 25,000 people enter the
field of welding, leaving a gap of 25,000."

According to Andre, that's despite the fact that welders command an annual salary of $35,000-$80,000 per year plus overtime, based on experience and geographic location.

Located in Troy, Ohio, Hobart Institute has a typical enrollment of 150 entry-level students and 500 to 600 experienced graduates seeking to move further along in their manufacturing and construction careers. Andre says the school's students are highly sought after, with companies visiting to interview and recruit from as far away as California, Texas and Wyoming.

Andre also offers solutions to companies who need particular welding expertise. Hobart Institute's instructors will go to these companies and train personnel on site. Andre laments the disconnect between what employers need and what the education system provides. "Do schools realize what industry needs?"

Andre works hard to be part of the solution by visiting high schools to push welding careers and to dispel some of the myths he says the media helps perpetuate, such as welding offering little opportunity for growth. "We explain that welding is the beginning of a career," he says. "Welders become salespersons, business owners and presidents of companies. The possibilities are absolutely great. Welders work all over the world."

Supervisory Positions Offer Unlimited Potential

Greg Case is coordinator of construction management for the Community College of Baltimore County in Baltimore, MD. About 100 students are currently enrolled in the college's construction management program; 80 are part-time students. Greg notes that their ages range from 18 to 63 years old, with many already employed in construction. These students are seeking to improve upon their skills to qualify for supervisory positions.

Greg agrees that opportunities are plentiful, yet there's a shortage of trained personnel. "There's a need for estimators, someone to keep track of millions of dollars of receipts, to get materials where they're needed to complete a construction project, to do site design. There's a huge layer of management opportunities that people don't understand at all."

Developing Technology-savvy Youth

Joel Leonard, contributing editor to www.plantservices.com, a resource for plant services personnel, and a trainer for Mpact Learning Center in Greensboro, N.C., has been sounding the alarm for some time. In fact, he has established an online resource called "Maintenance Crisis Resource Center," encouraging networking and providing solutions to the skills shortage.

"The biggest issue in the maintenance world is the marketing of maintenance," he says in a recent plantservices.com column. "We have to educate our society about the true purpose and function of maintenance."

Joel notes the outmoded grease monkey concept. "Companies need technicians to perform maintenance on mechanical systems, but they also need people to maintain electrical and electronic systems and microprocessor-based Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) while tracking activities using a computerized maintenance management system," he says. "They need technicians who can use predictive maintenance like vibration analysis, ultrasonic leak detection and infrared thermography."

With today's technology-savvy youth, the prospect of getting paid to program and run computers daily in a maintenance career is undoubtedly appealing. If only they knew about it!

Joel points out that if we don't address the shortage of skilled personnel in manufacturing
and construction, it's going to affect the overall economy. The aging infrastructure of many manufacturing facilities means buildings and machinery require more maintenance than ever. If this infrastructure is not properly maintained, it will eventually result in machinery that will be beyond repair.

Marketing to Women is Part of the Solution

Despite the gloomy predictions about a worker shortage, some good things are happening. For instance, Mpact's Maintenance & Facilities Engineering Career Fairs are matching companies ready to hire with eager, skilled candidates. And at the Community College of Baltimore County, Greg says reaching out to women is part of the solution: "We've seen female enrollment double in the past five years."

He points to an outreach program that the college designed to attract more women to construction careers. Greg recounts with pride the story of one such session when a woman approached him and said, "I know you." She then told him that he visited her middle school 20 years ago. That encounter lit the flame of interest in a career that allowed her to work with her hands and eventually become a senior project manager.

Related Link
www.mpactlearning.com

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