My recent post on The Recruitment Crisis sparked some good discussion on the topic.
Dr Joe Webb points to the numbers and say there is no crisis, "There is no recruiting crisis, and why the myth persists is beyond me. Just look at the payroll data and the wages. If there was a crisis, the price paid for labor would be rising, just like any other good. It is not."
Michael Josefowicz, pointed out this debate that has started over at PrintPlant on sales and production staffing.
Brian Regan, president of staffing firm Semper International said, "There is a need and yes the climate has changed. We will need more press ops and bindery and CSR’s etc. that is directly impacted by retiring baby boomers. We will also need IT, programmers, tech people. These are somewhat new to our industry and we will find ourselves not competing with ourselves for the talent, but just about all other industries...
So the issue is much more complicated than many are thinking... retiring boomers and losing the needed skills to run the equipment. New types of skills needed in industry and printing having to compete against other industry for that talent and the ever consistent need for skilled business professionals in sales, management etc."
Chad Skelton a recent graduate of Clemson University’s Graphic Communications program offered his view, "From being a member of the 2008 graduating class from Clemson University’s Graphic Communications program, I can offer another viewpoint. At least one-third of my fellow graduates have been unable to find a job within the industry. If students from a prominent curriculum, such as Clemson’s, are being passed by, then the recruitment crisis is most definitely self-imposed.
If the printing industry wants to increase recruitment, the companies need to continue to invest in, and therefore help mold, printing and graphics focused curriculums. This investment can come in the form of equipment donations, guest speakers, symposium attendance, sponsored plant tours, and, of course, directly financial. With such a relationship in place, printing companies will receive immediate feedback from upcoming graduates, be exposed to their perceptions of the industry, involve fresh minds in research and development, and generate a lasting impression on future industry leaders."
When we discuss recruitment we need acknowledge that there are two separate areas the industry must address. How do we recruitment the skilled labor required to manage and operate the machines and processes that produce printed products. And how do we recruitment new leaders that understand how to do more with less through automation and lean manufacturing principles. New leaders that will help transition the industry from an ink-on-paper mindset, to the new world of cross media information publishing.
Discussion
By Michael Josefowicz on Sep 23, 2008
I want to expand a little on
"New leaders that will help transition the industry from an ink-on-paper mindset, to the new world of cross media information publishing."
Many people take this to mean that printers have to learn a new business. I think that is unrealistic. My take is that printers have tofigure out how their earned skill and equipment fits with the other communication industries.
The industry needs people who are skilled in business development. Innovators who are not focused on the "making" part, but on the "selling part."
In this economy, "selling" means figuring out how what you make - at least as good, fast and cheap as your immediate competition - connects to what people in your addressable market are already doing.
The good news is that "business development" and "product development" have the potential for big rewards - both financially and in a rewarding,creative work life.
If printers were recruiting for "print based business development" or "print based product development" positions, I think they might be surprised at the results.
It's the 21st century version of the "sales person."
By Brian Regan on Sep 24, 2008
Need for skilled equipment operators - The "American Dream". Perhaps we should be focusing more on people coming to the US to find that dream. That will work hard, learn a skill that will pay them good, solid wages that will allow them to firmly root here and eventually send their children to college and and beyond. A gentleman from New York mentioned that to my 6 months ago and it still makes sense to me.
Issue is that there are less schools out there to train that, the training will likely have to come from on the job training. Or perhaps PIA and its affiliates can play a role... They would need INDUSTRY support, money and direction. If you look at PIA/GATF's footprint they are in most areas of this country and are well connected. (Just a thought). Or perhaps in this cause all the associations work together.
New skills needed: We have to get serious about our industry and how we word our needs and how we interact with potential students and just as importantly their parents. Just back from the PINE fall conference and listened well to Susan Nofi's presentation about generation Y. She explains that kids today are very connected to their parents and often listen to their parents opinions for any choices in life. This makes it VERY important we include them in our thoughts.
Look closely at firms like Consolidated Graphics and their leadership programs and offer similar programs and modify them if needed to work with how the new generation thinks and value. PASSION is a large element to this as is social conciseness and a sense of positive contribution.
Actively engage our students in these programs today and ask them to HELP us understand them and ways to talk to their generation. They should be apart of this solution.
We should have video taped Susan's presentation as it would have been great to share with many people and let the needed dialog happen.
I also encourage people to come to or read about what the Education Summit is doing as well as your locale associations. Find out what your Graphic programs are facing at your schools and dont let them close them down. Help those programs stay in touch with the demands of the industry.
Look at what the new skills sets are that we need and understand them and grow relationships with schools and programs that can help bring our industry to light in their students eyes as well as their parents.
There is a lot we can all do. I often sing a song to my 3 year old daughter that I got from a Christmas program "Put one foot in front of the other...and soon you'll be walking through the door"
To learn more about the Education Summit
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By Ed Danielczyk on Sep 24, 2008
The lack of skilled digital production press and workflow craftsmans offer challenges for vendors of digital presses. As a means to begin addressing the lack of skilled digital craftsman who are capable of operating digital presses and related workflow solutions, Xerox has commissioned the creation of a program we have titled "Xerox Digital Production Printing School to Career Curriculum". Working with the PrintED organization, using their digital production printing competencies as a design guide, Xerox has engaged a Technical College and graphic communications business consult to write a curriculum designed to address the shortfall of skilled digital press operators. Our target for this curriculum are students currently enrolled in high school graphic arts vocational programs (CTCs), technical colleges, state re-training programs and as appropriate skills training programs offered by state correctional facilities.
Digital presses and associated workflow solutions offer an exciting and rewarding career for those who have the skills to successful work with these state of the art solutions. Without a feeder pool of skilled digital craftsmans prepared to replace those who are entering the latter stages of their careers, business will find it difficult to enjoy the financial rewards of the new business of digital printing.
By Michael Josefowicz on Sep 25, 2008
Based on my experience in education. I would suggest that everyone go very carefully into that particular "swamp". Please excuse my sarcasm, but unless you've been there, it's not obvious.
Problem is that with a couple of notable exceptions in college and much fewer exceptions in community college education the system is not designed to produce the people we need.
Our educational system was originally designed to do two things. It still does them very well.
1. To bring agricultural workers into the mass production industries and offices. These days the agricultural workers come from outside the United States. In the old days, they came from inside the United States.
2. To separate out the 10 to 15% of the students who will take managerial positions. The top tier schools do that very well.
If you think printing is a broken model. It is a smoothly functioning machine compared to most educational models.
This of course is a much longer discussion. But as a starter...consider
"Issue is that there are less schools out there to train that, the training will likely have to come from on the job training."
Our industry has always been supplied by apprenticeships. It's a proven model.
So... suppose printers started going into the education business as an adjunct of what they do. If we can't depend on the education system, why not take some of the huge amounts of money that is on the table.
Education of our future workers and retraining of our present workforce could be a profit center, instead of a cost center.
By sam on Oct 07, 2008
What is the outlook for new students. Should they go the associates degree route rather than burn four years?
Is on the job training better?
Does a degree offer more opportunity?