Getting A Job: Shortage Of Skilled Workers

It's hard to believe employers are having trouble finding workers in this economy. 

However, Sheila Ryan, of Express Employment Professionals, which places employees in manufacturing, light industrial and ofice positions, explains that some companies need workers who know how to work on the older machinery they own.

"In some small companies, you have both an aging workforce and an aging machine force," said Ryan, of Niles, a franchise owner of the company's Chicago Northwest office. "They need people who know the older machines."

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Traditionally, when manufacturing or industrial companies employed a worker who was expected to retire in a couple of years, they would bring in a younger worker to learn the ropes from him, she observed. But now, with tight budgets, companies are no longer investing in that kind of apprenticeship system.

Younger people attending technical schools graduate with an education and hands-on experience, she said, but companies are looking for experienced workers, not entry-level grads.

Companies might be looking for welders who have the ability to weld together sheets of metal as thin as a soda can.

"It takes some years under your belt to get to that level of expertise," Ryan said.

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While people who are newly graduated from a tech school hope to earn $15 an hour, the reality is that they'll earn $11 an hour, she said.

Another recent change in the hiring landscape is that, whereas companies used to hire four people to fulfill different functions--such as shipping clerk, forklift operator, UPS shipments and stocking--they now hire one person to perform all those duties.

Several companies who want to make the most of their payroll dollars will wait until the day a container comes in to call her office and request workers, Ryan explained, calling it a "flexible workforce" arrangement.

On the bright side, Ryan does say companies' requests for workers are increasing slightly, partly because they are getting more orders for business.

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Ryan noted Express Employment Professionals was recently mentioned on Fox News, where co-host Cheryl Casone confirmed, "About 50 percent of those that sign on with this company do end up with full-time positions." The segment also mentioned other companies which are hiring.