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.