Manufacturers: We Have Jobs, Give Us Workers

Representatives from about a dozen local manufacturing companies crowded into a conference room at Mott Corporation Friday to talk with legislators about their concerns and the issues that are keeping them from growing.

It was the final stop on a jobs tour for State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney (R-28), who was gathering ideas for the Oct. 26 special legislative session.

During the tour he met with representatives from more than 50 businesses, concluding that red tape and overregulation were top complaints. Joined in Farmington by state Senate Minority Leader Pro-Tempore Len Fasano (R-34) and state Rep. Whit Betts (R-78), McKinney promised they would be strong advocates for business owners while working with Democrats.

“It’s important for you to understand we will stop fighting to get something done to help you,” McKinney said.

While the group echoed complaints about the state’s business climate, the precision manufacturing industry faces a larger problem, they said.

“There is a lack of trained individuals,” said George Fournier Acme Monaco engineering vice president and president of New England Spring and Metal Stamping Association. “The state of Connecticut has turned its back on technical schools.”

Burke Doar of Trumpf Inc. said the problem is the same at his company.

“Trumpf has 40 openings as of this morning. We’re actively looking for people,” he said. “Frankly, we don’t need a big program in education but to create an environment where kids understand these jobs… are not what they were in the ‘40s.”

The misconception of standing in a sweatshop mindlessly working a machine is keeping kids from entering the industry and finding secure, rewarding careers, he said.

Several speakers pointed to the educational system, which judges schools by the college acceptance rate of their graduates. But since the college retention rate is low and tuition costs are high, that path may not result in the best outcome for students, or for business.

In contrast, some companies provide free training and education for its employees.

From the Mott Corporation, Susanne Spargo said she used to work directly with schools and parents to recruit students through the school to career program but cuts to that have stunted the relationship.

Victor DaCruz, President of C&M Screw Machine Products Inc. said that technical schools do feed workers to his company, but they’re pulling kids who probably don’t have other options.

“They draw from the bottom of the barrel,” DaCruz said. “Something has to be done. I could grow my business if I could find skilled workers.”

McKinney said he has brought ideas to Gov. Dannel Malloy from the tour and that he looks forward to working with him during the special session. Malloy conducted his own jobs tour earlier in the summer.