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The demise of the manufacturing industry in northeast Ohio is more myth than reality, according to area businesses and educators.
“It is such a false perception,” said Ron Mauler, precision machine instructor at Ashtabula County Technical & Career Campus (A-Tech) in Jefferson Township. Mauler said there are still many positions in the $20 to $30 range for people with manufacturing skills and a strong work ethic.
Ken Lazo, director of human resources for the Composites Group, said area companies sometimes have a problem finding entry-level employees who are willing to work hard.
The Composites Group includes Premix in North Kingsville and Hadlock Plastics in Geneva.
Lazo said the two companies will be adding 35 to 50 new jobs in the next year. Hadlock will be creating an addition to its Geneva facility and adding four presses. Many of these new jobs will be entry-level positions that require a high school diploma and strong math and interpersonal skills, he said.
“We’re focusing on growth in the near future,” Lazo said.
Richard Selip, president of Grand River Rubber, said his company is always looking for people who are willing to work hard that are dependable.
He said the company pays on a piecemeal or production basis allowing employees to make a good wage. He said floor workers can earn more than $20 an hour but must work hard.
Selip said it is important for all workers to improve themselves and strive for excellence.
“Just graduating with a high school diploma isn’t going to give anyone the skills they need (to succeed in our economy),” Selip said of the importance of continuing education.
Ken Porter, industrial training coordinator for the adult education program at A-Tech, said his students come from three categories: entry-level employees looking to improve their skills, apprenticeship students and unemployed people looking to enter the workforce.
“It (adult education program) serves a wide variety of people,” he said. Porter said all of the welding, maching and other classes run for high school students during the day are then offered at night as well.
“Companies get ahold of us when they are looking for employees. We have worked with every major company in Ashtabula County as well as the smaller ones,” Porter said.
“We have lots of small machine shops. They are constantly looking for qualified people,” Porter said. He said an apprenticeship program is also in place.
“Local companies are investing more time and energy into training their own employees,” Porter said.
“We have companies that ask us to (teach) custom classes,” said A-Tech Superintendent Jerome Brockway. He said General Aluminum and Ashtabula Rubber Company were some of the companies that received the custom classes.
A cooperative venture between area companies and A-Tech, formerly known as the Ashtabula County Joint Vocational School, attempts to match student training to employer needs. The adivsory council meets regularly and includes representatives from a variety of area companies including Eaton, Premix and smaller machine shops like Reese Machine and Fenton Machine.
“We did just have an advisory committee meeting,” Maurer said.
“They are really asking that we get back to the basics,” Maurer said. He said companies need people to operate lathes, sharpen drill bits by hand and have the ability to run a variety of machines.
In addition to skilled entry-level workers, manufacturing companies throughout northeastern Ohio are in need of people such as precision machinists and engineers.
Lazo said one of the biggest challenges has been finding engineers willing to relocate to a rural area.
To become a precision machinist demands a combination of specific personality and manual skills. “Not everybody is cut out for it,” Maurer said. He also said the positions are often not packaged in neat eight-hour days and involve sacrifice of personal time.
Local News
Related Photos
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WARREN DILLAWAY / Star Beacon ANTHONY DONALDSON, a senior at A-Tech from the Grand Valley School District, works on a lathe at the precision machine shop at A-Tech in Jefferson Township.
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WARREN DILLAWAY / Star Beacon VLAD DEROSA, a design engineer, for Premix works on a project at the North Kingsville company. The manufacturing industry continues to maintain a strong presence in the area.
Discussion
Local manufacturing industry not dead
Plants need people with skills and a strong work ethic
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