A recent study found there’s a vast shortage of talent in the manufacturing industry. Roughly 3.5 million jobs will need to be filled within the next 10 years. With the baby boomer generation hitting retirement, businesses are facing fierce competition when looking for new recruits.
Talent Shortage Hits the Manufacturing Industry
Manufacturing isn’t like it used to be. Modern tech has made it less about hands-on skills and more about a knack for science, engineering, and technology. As such, the way businesses recruit employees has also changed.
Read more about the effects of the manufacturing industry’s talent shortage here.
The most successful manufacturing companies have optimized recruiting strategies to target millennials. USG Corp, for example, has seen promising results. Roughly 52% of its newly-hired employees are millennials. So how do USG Corp and other manufacturers target this group successfully?
The Power of Mobile and Social Media
Whether shopping online or looking for a new job, millennials are familiar with mobile technology. As such, optimizing your career site for these devices is one of the best ways to get attention. USG Corp found that once it made applications mobile friendly, almost 7,000 candidates applied.
To learn about how businesses are updating, read this article by Gina Max of USG
Social media is also another hot zone for millennial talent. Research shows 89% of 18-29 year olds are active on social media. Using sites like LinkedIn and other social media channels, businesses can get the word out about job openings in relevant places.
Offering the Right Perks
Younger talent tends to like the idea of “trying out” different jobs within a company. Thus, USG Corp created rotating positions, which allow employees to switch roles throughout their careers. This has led to tangible growth; within the last three years, 41% of millennials in the US and Canada were promoted.
Offering specialized training also attracts this demographic. For instance, USG Corp offers training on how different generations work together and special programs for women.
By experimenting with recruiting strategies, USG hopes to lessen the blow of the industry’s talent shortage. QualStaff Resources specializes in recruiting young talent for a variety of industries. Learn about our process here.