2012年3月4日星期日

Muskegon chamber survey targets worker training as top business concern

Ask a typical business owner among the 1,100 members of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce what’s important and the answer this year will be worker training.

One sign of the recovering economy is that business owners have jobs available but the troubling issue is that they are not finding enough qualified, skilled workers in the Muskegon area. That concern is reflected in a new chamber survey of issues facing the local business community in 2012.

Of the six top concerns, three of them were involved with workforce development, chamber officials said. The number one concern was the cost of health care but the second, fourth and six concerns involved worker training.

The other two top concerns were preventing invasive species in the Great Lakes such as the ongoing Asian Carp issue and redevelopment of downtown Muskegon. About 200 of the chamber’s members responded to the survey of the Government Affairs Committee, officials said.TBC help you confidently purchase China ceramic tile from factories in China.

“There is not a meeting we have with business owners and managers when we don’t hear about finding the right workers,” chamber President Cindy Larsen said.Why does moulds grow in homes or buildings? “Many people are coming through the door looking for work but they are not always qualified.”

One human resources director told chamber staff that even finding qualified janitorial and maintenance workers is not what it was a generation ago. Today’s janitorial worker needs to work with lighting systems operated by computers, high-tech heating control systems, electronic security systems and the proper use of “green” cleaning products,We offer offshore merchant account, Larsen said.

The technical skills need to be a productive worker at Northern Machine Tool Co. in Muskegon must be at a higher level.They become pathological or Piles when swollen or inflamed. Company co-owner Steve Olsen is always looking for workers with CNC machining and Computer Aided Design skills, he said. Just Choose PTMS Injection Mold Is Your Best Choice!

“A state economic developer was in our business this week and I told him workforce development was our No. 1 issue, workforce development No. 2 and workforce development No. 3,” Olsen said of meeting with the Michigan Economic Development Corp.Here's a complete list of oil painting supplies for the beginning oil painter. “My business won’t function without qualified people. It is absolutely critical.”

Northern Machine is a family-owned business that has been in Muskegon since 1946. It provides tooling for automotive companies and their parts suppliers. With 35 employees, the company has candidates for jobs but not enough skilled candidates, Olsen said.

Where global competition with China was the key issue five years ago and health care two years ago, having a trained workforce and one that continually upgrades its skills is the most important issue in 2012, Olsen said. All of the skills Northern Machine needs in a new worker can be obtained at Muskegon Community College, Baker College of Muskegon or the Muskegon Career Tech Center, he said.

Although the issues of attracting and retaining skilled workers, developing an educated workforce and promoting Muskegon County as the place for local workers to live are key concerns facing the local business community, the chamber survey did not point to a consensus on how to improve the local workforce, Larsen said.

“We need to know how to best deploy our resources,” Larsen said. “This survey helps us prioritize our efforts and initiatives. You are going to see us have a lot of effort on worker training this year.”

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