re: Labor Shortage

What is you perception of the problem do the skilled workers not exist or you can't hire them from competition?

one of the two has to happen either you need to train them up or do something to attract them from somewhere else they wont pop up out of thin air.

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We have 10 employees total. 7 of which are welders/machinists/helpers.

I'm supposed to tell my customers to hold off on work while the guys that are qualified train the unqualified because the trade schools don't do their job?

The few qualified guys I have left do not stop year around. Reasons why apprenticeships are disappearing.

I appreciate all of your input but going to a trade school for help and "investing" in labor is a coin flip option that may pan out 10 years from now. My top 3 guys are 58,65,66. I can't wait 10 years

As far as welders getting 60 hours a week and getting better pay. I guarantee nobody is touching our pay/benefits in the area.

When my grandpaw was here 30 years ago, somebody would fart and he would get rid of them because he could walk across the street and fill their shoes. Now, the employees have the upper hand. They know nobody is coming behind them.

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You need a mirror. The problem isn't the workforce. It's your reaction to its changing dynamics.

If you are in such demand from your customers that you don't have time and money to train and grow your workforce, you're charging them too little or you aren't reinvesting enough into the business to continue.

But it sounds like you have it all figured out. So congrats on your business failing when the top 3 guys retire.

It sounds like you know what the answers are, but you don't like them.

I heard a guy once say "The best time to plant a tree was 5 years ago. The second best time is today."

I understand you don't want your main guys working slower to train younger staff. But if you don't do that, how do you expect to have staff in 15-20 years?

If the market is that tight, your competitors are dealing with the same issues. Which means, your customers are going to have to get over it, because it's not like they can go somewhere else and get faster service.

If you want to have a tomorrow, at some point, you have to slow down and invest today.

Trade school help isn't a 10 year deal... you need to have a convo with your local comm college. They may be able to get guys out in a year or so.

What about union labor? Unions have apprenticeship programs. If you don't want to do that... look at hiring LEGAL immigrants.

You say your pay is tops... but it's not high enough to rustle up people... or you aren't going after people int the right way.

Employees in the skilled fields DO have the upper hand. You can adjust to that reality, partner with them, and continue to grow. Or you can say the heck with it and sell out. Both are perfectly reasonable - which do you want to do?

Listen to Golfer.

Repeat.

Are you on terms with the Industrial Departments at Delgado or Nunez? Or wherever your are?

You should be. You can go make a pitch, hire a few as interns @ 12 per hour and see how they do at 1, 2 and 3 month.

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What is you perception of the problem do the skilled workers not exist or you can't hire them from competition?

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They do not exist. We've hired away from our competition since Katrina. We got the best we could find.

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What about union labor? Unions have apprenticeship programs

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We are the only machinist union left in the region. About 25 years ago, the current owner told them this problem was coming. He constantly asked for younger help to train and in 20 years the union hasn't supplied one person. We find people. They try and get them in the union. Its a joke.

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Hmm, seems like you will need to grow your own skilled workforce, rather than looking for "finished" employees. Has the business ever thought about a training and mentorship program? Pair older skilled workers with the younger ones, esp those who learn best from example/doing (rather than classroom). Or develop a partnership with your closest vo-tech/community college to create paid internships for their students---you'd get discount workers, and be able to pick and choose from the ones you see through the internship program. Every business faces the need for skilled workers---how you respond to the challenges will determine your success or failure.

You say you can't find the guys to "do what you do"....but if the services are needed, someone will provide them. Is there strong demand for your services? That should be the guiding factor...not just having a labor shortage.

You don't say what the alternative is: what is your own skill set/potential for employment if the family business is no longer there? Will the family business be closed, or is there a potential to sell to someone else? Who actually owns it? You, dad, or a larger group of family members?

Frankly, your post sounds like your mind is made up and you're simply looking for reasons to justify getting out of the family business. If the work & challenges don't excite you, if you aren't thinking creatively about how to solve your labor problems, if you are already thinking about how the "old days" were better, perhaps you are not well suited to bring this business into the future. No shame in that--we aren't all entrepreneurs. Be honest with yourself & don't cling to the family business if it makes you miserable.

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even with all the upvotes...this post is incredibly underrated..

in my line of work (healthcare) we hire the single most outgoing "people person" type personalities we can find...then we train them to our systems.



for us, the outstanding employees are never looking for jobs.....we must create our own.

as the employee gains confidence and skills....we raise accordingly (to eventually pay/bonus them as the superstar employees they become)
win win for everyone.


i'm a big believer in the apprenticeship model.

Where’s the business at?

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Then after investing/training them they leave for $2 more an hour

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Then you offer then $2.50 an hour more to stay. You can't blame employees for trying to maximize their profit. You can, however, ensure you are always paying the most.