Technical schools need more students, continued facility upgrades
 
(March 14, 2008) Having enough skilled workers is an absolute must for all Connecticut businesses — and especially critical to manufacturers in the state. A CBIA survey last year found that 70% of manufacturers said they were having problems finding enough qualified workers to fill open jobs.

To expand the skilled-worker pipeline in the state, state lawmakers are looking at a proposal that would begin to open more young peoples’ eyes to potential careers in manufacturing and other skilled trades.

This week, CBIA testified before the Education Committee to support HB-5867, which would more aggressively promote the advantages of the state’s technical schools to middle-school-age students and their parents. Several CBIA members came to the Capitol to voice their approval of the measure.

It’s designed to show how today’s manufacturing careers are both challenging and rewarding — because they’re increasingly technology-based and higher-paying. Greater understanding of the opportunities offered by the technical school system will ultimately lead to more students prepared for the skilled trades, a critical sector of Connecticut’s economy.  

But more needs to be done to upgrade the technical schools themselves. “Obviously, the technology in manufacturing has changed dramatically,” said Jason Howey, vice president of operations, Okay Industries of New Britain. “We’re using robots and lasers. But this new technology is expensive.” 

At the Capitol, Howey and Bruce Dworak, president of Hobson Motzer Inc., of Durham, supported the proposal and talked about the urgent importance of providing more skilled workers in Connecticut.

CBIA has strongly supported renovations to technical high schools and urges the state to continue its investment in this critical infrastructure. Additional resources are needed for state-of-the-art equipment and supplies, so that students will be fully equipped to learn new processes and techniques – and ready to join the workforce.

NIMS

Also important is to make sure that young people graduate with the training they will need to be immediately productive. Adopting standards such as certification by the NIMS (National Institute of Metalworking Skills)-certification will help the future workforce be able to match the skills required on a national level and by manufacturers throughout the state.

In separate discussions, the business community and state educators and economic development officials have arranged for NIMS standards to be adopted by two technical high schools in the state by this fall. Planning will begin to go statewide with NIMS in all machining programs as soon as feasible.

This is a significant step forward that has the full support of Abigail Hughes, state superintendent of the technical high schools. The schools will work with the College of Technology to arrange community college credit for the courses and eventually, it is hoped NIMS will feed into the state’s apprenticeship program.  

CBIA supports these developments to improve technical and trade education in Connecticut and ultimately increase the state’s skilled workforce.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Jesmin Basanti at 860-244-1929 or jesmin.basanti@cbia.com. n