August 2021 Volume 3

MEMBERS SPEAK

Connect with Local Colleges and Universities Building relationships with technical schools, community colleges, and universities in your community is a great way to find students who are starting to make decisions about their careers. Leveraging relationships with educational institutions can help to bring individuals into your business as possible interns or co-op participants – which leads to future employees and strengthen the overall workforce in the industry at large. “These days good wages, 401K with matching funds, bonuses, good healthcare, providing reimbursement for college classes and other benefits are not always enough to attract skilled workers. The hardest part is just finding people to interview. Like many others, we are going to where the people are and building relationships with educational facilities. Campbell Inc. has been donating, through FIERF towards college scholarships, technical research as well as a scholarship to our local community college. We recently started funding a scholarship at our local high school career center and see that as a worthwhile investment for the future. We have had some luck in this area and hope to continue pursuing new associates through these academic channels.” – Pete Campbell, President, Campbell Press Repair Ask for Feedback fromYour Current Workforce Make use of themost important promotional tool for every company – your team. You can use the positive feedback for testimonial videos on your website and social media. Let them tell their story. Candidates will get to know your business better through the words of people who are already involved. To be able to attract the perfect employee, you need to treat your existing employees the right way.

“As for retaining our current employees, we communicate constantly and closely monitor employee engagement and address lack of engagement head on. We are partnering with schools that can teach our employees the skills they need to be promoted by taking on-line classes and/or night classes, all paid for by their respective business units. This not only retains

our current talent but increases our in-house talent pool.” – Hope Vaccaro, Director of Talent, Ellwood Group NEW! Forge Fair 2021 - Career Day

Thursday, October 28, 2021 is Career Day at Forge Fair 2021. Students can register to attend Forge Fair 2021 on Thursday for the discounted rate of $25 (one day pass). Students will be encouraged to bring their resumes with them to hand out to potential employers during their time at the show. Student contact information will be provided to FIA Member exhibitors following the event. Looking for a place to sit down and really connect? During Forge Fair Career Day, there will also be aWorkforce Development Center where prospective employers can arrange to meet with students in a quieter setting and discuss what a career in the forging industry

looks like and what their company has to offer. Visit www.ForgeFair.com for more information. ■

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN MANAGERS - TAKE YOUR CAREER TO THE NEXT LEVEL

First session begins November 14-16, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio

Go to www.forging.org for more information

FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2021 83