What if you could meet your new employees a few years before their start date? Imagine a future where skilled workers are readily available in your local market, eager to contribute and connected to your company’s mission.

By investing in a sustainable local talent pipeline, manufacturers improve their ability to cultivate a workforce that meets their current needs and drives future innovation. This proactive approach involves more than just recruitment; it’s about fostering a long-term relationship with your community and nurturing talent from middle school into employment.

This article explores strategies to build a local talent pipeline, from community outreach and raising awareness to engaging with middle school and older students in structured environments. Make no mistake: This involves investing a lot of time building relationships and networking to find the right and willing partners. However, by implementing these initiatives, manufacturers can secure a steady stream of skilled workers, enhance their brand reputation, and contribute to the economic vitality of their region.

Building a sustainable talent pipeline is a long game

Here in New Hampshire, stakeholders have cultivated a close-knit community driven to help match the future workforce with local companies providing jobs with high wages and a clear career path. We have 27 high schools in the state with career and technical education (CTE) centers that promote manufacturing. This outreach includes a recent career fair that drew about 500 people to learn about jobs and careers from almost 50 small manufacturers. Yet our local manufacturers continue to deal with workforce gaps and high onboarding costs for new employees as their experienced operators and key team members age out.

Younger generations have different expectations and needs for employment. Creating an accurate organic pipeline for manufacturers will be a long game. Shifting the perception of manufacturing as a career choice takes time. It involves promoting the industry’s positive aspects and showcasing high-tech job opportunities for growth and development.

Establishing strong relationships with educational institutions, community organizations, and local businesses takes consistent effort. It involves building trust, understanding each other’s needs, and developing collaborative partnerships.

Early career awareness: Start with middle schoolers

Middle school is crucial for students to start thinking about their future career paths. By introducing them to manufacturing careers early on, manufacturers can help shape their perceptions of the industry and spark interest in high-tech jobs. Shaping perceptions can start with a simple demonstration, such as using canned cheese on crackers to illustrate fundamental welding principles.

Connecting with community partners and mentors can be a valuable experience for young people who like hands-on work and may not be interested in attending college. Engaging with middle school students also allows manufacturers to build relationships with teachers, counselors, parents, and others who can influence young people’s career choices.

Manufacturers have many ways to engage with middle schoolers, including:
• Shop tours and school visits that include demonstrations, hands-on experiences, and Q&As
• Robotics clubs and competitions where manufacturers can sponsor these activities and provide advisors to help the students
• Summer day camps: One local community college organized a summer program in New Hampshire where local manufacturers made presentations and hosted tours.

Take advantage of extended learning and career education

Manufacturers in New Hampshire are taking advantage of extended learning opportunities (ELOs) and career and CTE, including more formal programs offered by many school districts.

ELOs allow for the primary acquisition of knowledge and skills through instruction or study outside the classroom, such as independent study, private instruction, apprenticeships, and online courses. In New Hampshire, ELOs are frequently designed by students, their advisors, a highly qualified teacher, and a community partner.

CTE includes courses and programs designed to provide awareness of career options from middle to high school. In New Hampshire, CTE opportunities include manufacturing, machining, welding, and microelectronics assembly courses.

These formal programs depend on support from local manufacturers that might not be used to working together on workforce recruitment. At the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership, part of the MEP National Network, we recently worked with an ELO coordinator at a high school to invite four nearby manufacturers to help fund and participate in student training. We also brought together a manufacturer, local high schools, and a community college to discuss how they could improve their local engagement.

As we worked with local manufacturers, we told them, “During these recruiting efforts, try not to get caught up in ‘who will get the best people.’ We’re working together to expand the local pipeline for our industry. Once someone at your company starts working with these students and gets to know them, you may find you’re training your future employees.”

During this type of student outreach, don’t underestimate the benefits of exposure to adults who may be interested in career transitions or know people who are. Most manufacturers are probably searching for highly trained 24- to 30-year-olds. A local community college is a great place to start. Many community colleges offer beginner CNC machinist training for adults, which could be a direct pipeline to employment.

Community events offer direct and indirect benefits

Manufacturers benefit from participating in community events such as job fairs, hosting groups for Manufacturing Day, and networking with other businesses and stakeholders. For example, a local trades event in Concord with live bands and food trucks drew about 4,000 people.

These activities can help build a positive reputation within the community and also provide a venue for manufacturers to discuss their high-paying jobs and how they contribute to the local economy. Community events also enhance employer branding to attract talent. There is evidence that community outreach is an effective recruiting tool. A recent job fair in Manchester attracted 600 people. About half were high school seniors, and the balance was adults from the community.

Integrating younger workers helps recruitment

Engaging with students and community members enables you to learn how to work with younger generations within your organization, which could help you become a local employer of choice. I’ve witnessed multiple successes by local manufacturers in my state that are learning to respond to the requests of this younger generation. For example, as one local manufacturer brought on more younger staffers, the company responded to the new hires’ requests by offering flexible start times. The manufacturer also brought in a “freestyle” soda dispenser with many flavor combinations and upgraded the selection of free snacks in the break area.

Your local MEP center can help you develop a strategy with hands-on approaches for growing an organic, local talent pipeline. It will take patience and a lot of work, but it will pay off in the long run. Contact your local MEP center to talk with a workforce expert.