Addressing Today's Workforce in the Converting Industry

Published: May 10, 2016, By Yolanda Simonsis

Lately, I've received several editorial submissions addressing the subject of education in some form or another.

One submission has been covered by other news outlets in our industry as well as at PFFC-online.com with regard to "Manufacturing Jobs are Ours to Lose."  Could it be that industry in general may be failing to communicate its needs to schools and local governments for work-ready (or at least "trainable") adults who are candidates for less glamorous—but certainly valuable and good paying positions?

Industry is asking: Why aren't you ("you" meaning school principals and local governments) producing trainable candidates for me to employ?

But what are WE (i.e., industry) doing to attract potential non-degreed employees?

Much is being said about how to teach/train/develop millennials as they prepare to replace retiring Baby Boomers of the post WWII era. (See: "Millennials at Work.") 

What's worse, many Millennials are still struggling to grow their incomes after taking a first job during or around the 2008 crash. Visit here for more insight.

How is your business addressing the training, development, motivation, and retention of millennial employees (who are digital natives) with exposure—since birth—to eLearning and interaction?

Even potential employees with less glamorous jobs want to feel important in their workplace and—just like their college-educated co-workers with higher-paying, more affluent-sounding positions—seek immediate gratification.

How are you as an employer promoting transparency in your business to culture freedom of information to which millennials respond well?

For more on the future workplace, also read: "How Robots Will Reshape the U.S. Economy" by Jim Rock.

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