STTF is Critical Tool To Help Train Talent Pool
For almost 10 years, Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium has worked with HB Carbide to help with their hiring and training needs, include the On-the-Job Training program and placing job orders. In 2016, Michigan Works! Business Solutions Professional, Kathy Bradley, came to HB Carbide with an application for the Skilled Trades Training Fund. HB applied and was granted a training grant of nearly $20,000 to train 37 employees.
HB’s employees work from customer-driven blueprints, so it’s imperative that the prints are interpreted correctly in order to satisfy the customer’s needs. With the STTF, Kirtland Community College was able to design a blueprint reading training program to fit their needs. In addition, Kirtland was able to provide the training onsite at HB’s facility, which allowed a larger number of employees to participate in the training. HB was also granted training funds to educate their engineering and maintenance staff in the basic understanding PLC’s (programmable logic controllers).
General feedback from HB’s CNC machine operators was that the training was great, but they wish it could have been provided even sooner. Those involved in the PLC training commented that the instructor was “great, well informed and easy to learn from”. Overall, participating employees appreciated the training and say additional training would be welcome.
HB Carbide hires mostly untrained workers to produce custom manufactured cutting tools. Most of their employees have a high school education with no further secondary schooling. Their challenge is to provide training to their employees in all areas of the plant with emphasis on the machining area.
“Our biggest employee challenge here at HB remains the skill level of the potential talent pool looking for employment,” says Plant Manager, Jeffrey Kleven. “As technology continues to advance, unfortunately our skill levels of students graduating high school does not appear to be keeping pace. The STTF is critical as an additional tool that employers can utilize to help with this training. For the most part, our employees are willing to learn, if provided with the right opportunity.”
For HB Carbide, the STTF has been very successful to this point and they look forward to working with Michigan Works! for further training opportunities.
Kleven says, “Not only does it [STTF training] improve our employee base from a business standpoint, but it also has a very positive impact on our employees from a confidence standpoint, in that they are achieving additional education along with demonstrating HB Carbide’s commitment to our employees.”