Demand up for manufacturing jobs

 

SOUTH POINT — As manufacturing jobs begin to reappear in the Tri-State, the need for certain industrial skills has become apparent to business leaders and career school educators.

One of those fields is welding and the newly organized Ohio Strategic Training Center is offering a one-day seminar to showcase a new technology.

“Edison Welding Institute out of Columbus is a leader in research and development and they are coming down and do a presentation on the materials-joining industry,” Dr. Scott Howard, director of the training center, said.

Following that will be a demonstration on a new training technology created by RealWorld, a spin-off company from Edison Welding, where a student welder can monitor his progress by watching his work on a computer screen.

“As you weld, you get a real prime feedback,” Howard said. “There is a tremendous shortage of welders and we are investigating partnerships right now and trying to help businesses and to meet welders’ demand.”

The increased need for welders and other manufacturing professionals is two-fold, Howard says.

“The first reason is the mean age of a welder is 56 years old,” he said. “We are beginning to see it in all the trades and professions, the work force is graying. (Secondly) you are beginning to see a resurgence in manufacturing. Look at Engines Inc. and some of the work they are doing.”

Already the training center has reached out to the trucking industry with its commercial driving program created in partnership with Southern State Community College. That program began in December and the center is starting its fourth series of classes.

“The mission of the training center is to train people in the areas where there are needs for jobs,” Howard said. “We think the most effective way is to create partnerships for people. The truck driving is good example.”

The welding seminar is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 20.