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Workforce Development By Sherry L. Baranek Two Strategies For Securing Skilled Labor A number of mold manufacturers reveal their clever solutions to the workforce development dilemma���from hiring retirees to recruiting the young. M any mold manufacturers are tasked with the challenge of finding skilled talent as today���s seasoned moldmakers ready themselves for retirement, schools stop offering moldmaking-related curriculum and many young people believe there is a negative stigma attached to manufacturing. As a result, some mold shops are reaching out to their retirees, venturing into high schools, and also looking to quickly train employees in entry-level positions. Here is a look at what some are doing. Bring Them out of Retirement Dave Martin, President of Portage, MI-based Accu-Mold, Inc., notes that he has hired several retirees, depending on workflow, by networking through high school parents and calling guys he knew retired early from the local Pfizer and GM plants. ���We are finding some retirees who started in automotive at 17 or 18 and retired at 52ish under early offerings and got bored after a couple of years of having freedom,��� he notes. ���We offer a much better environment���air conditioning, small company, great teamwork���than big auto plants.��� Martin also offers them full benefits, including 401Ks. Steve Scott, retired from GM Stamping as a journeyman die maker, is Accu-Mold���s part-time CNC set-up guy. ���There are many incredible people that retired early from industries like auto that found out they still��like to work,��� Scott comments. 44 MoldMaking Technology March 2013 ���I have learned a lot of new technology that we have here that was not available in my time at GM.��� Martin adds, ���Steve has a great attitude and very reliable. We are happy to have his dedication and teamwork. Some people call them ���old guys��� I call them experienced pros.��� CS Tool Engineering, Inc. (Cedar Springs, MI) has one retiree he has known for the past 30 years that works a few times a year���for one to several months at There are many increda time���to assist with spikes in the work ible people who retired flow, notes Operations early from industries like Manager Don Snow. ���Ken Gager grew up in automotive that found the model making trade out they still like to work. and learned CAD/CAM at an older age than most people,��� Snow comments. ���The neat thing about Ken is his understanding of parting lines and draft requirements. He has helped us out in the areas of implementing engineering changes into current solid model designs���which keeps our full-time guys focused on larger projects. He has also been a big help in the area of electrode modeling as he understands areas that can be machined versus those that need to be EDM���d.���