Are you graduating from college this year, or do you know someone who is? This year's graduates may have something to celebrate besides their newly earned degrees. According to a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers plan to hire 19.3 percent more recent graduates this year than last. (more...)
Posts Tagged ‘jobs’
Sixty jobs
April 13th, 2011
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
Articles about two different companies at opposite ends of the fabricating spectrum adding 30 jobs each came to my attention this morning. One company's plan involves a big investment by the once bankrupt, bailed-out corporation, and the other, collaboration with a state-run program and local technical college. (more...)
'Jobs are back, just not for everybody'
April 6th, 2011
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
I had an interesting conversation the other day with a septuagenarian who is currently enrolled in an MBA program. This former president and CEO of a textile manufacturing company is making straight As. He also is actively looking for a job, having separated from his former company six years ago.
I've known "Jim" for a few years, and we talk frequently about his search. At times, his prospects look hopeful—he just interviewed for two jobs—but more often than not, bleak—he was passed over for both. Yet he continues to look and to remain positive.
I've often wondered how he can maintain such an optimistic outlook, particularly in this tough economy. Today I read something that made me think his optimism might be well-founded. It offered me hope for Jim and those of us who might one day find ourselves looking for jobs in our sixties and beyond. But if you're middle-aged, that's a different story. (more...)
Are small businesses optimistic enough to hire?
February 23rd, 2011
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
Do you own or work for a small business? How's your business faring these days? Are you hiring?
February 16, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing titled "Putting Americans Back to Work: the State of the Small Business Economy." Speaking before the meeting, Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY), ranking member of the Committee, delivered a statement that said, in part, "the economy has begun to grow again and a recovery is underway. However, it is clear that there is a long way to go and entrepreneurs are still struggling on many fronts." (more...)
A tall, tall order
January 26th, 2011
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
Did you listen to President Obama's State of the Union address? I didn't. As I have explained in years past, I prefer to read the transcript of the address first thing the morning after and form my own opinion, without being swayed by delivery; audience reactions (the transcript I read did indicate applause points); camera pans to attending politicians, dignitaries, and citizens mentioned in the speech; and the seemingly endless stream of analyses that follow.
Although I avoided what I imagine was a moving delivery and those camera shots that tug at the heartstrings of all but the most cynical among us, I felt tears welling up as I reached the end of the transcript. (more...)
Metal stampers on reshoring
January 12th, 2011
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
The December issue of "Stamping News Brief" featured an item about reshoring, one of several terms used to describe bringing jobs back to the U.S. After citing examples of reshoring by companies such as Ford Motor Co. and Caterpillar, which also were covered in a recent blog post, the newsletter asked its subscribers to answer two questions about the trend: 1. My company has acquired work that formerly was done offshore – yes or no. 2. I expect the reshoring trend: To continue; to die when the economy improves; what reshoring? It's just a buzzword someone coined to give us hope that things are improving.
How would you answer those questions? And would your answers match the majority of those who responded? (more...)
Are jobs coming or going?
December 1st, 2010
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
September 23, 2010, Caterpillar broke ground for a new hydraulic excavator manufacturing facility in Victoria, Texas. Production is anticipated to begin in mid-2010, and once fully operational, the plant is expected to employ more than 500 people and triple the company’s U.S.-based excavator capacity. That’s good news for Victoria and for the U.S. economy.
Among the excavator models the new facility will produce are several currently manufactured in Akashi, Japan, and exported to the U.S. While the facility in Japan will continue to operate to meet the growing demand for excavators in Asia, moving production of excavators for the North American market back to the U.S. is a welcome example of an onshoring/backshoring/reshoring trend that began in 2009. Just how is that trend holding up and will it continue? (more...)
About your job
November 17th, 2010
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
The November "Tube Talk" e-newsletter featured excerpts from a Money magazine article "Make Money in 2011: Your Job." If this article's hypothesis is correct, those of you who are employed might have cause to worry less about losing your jobs, and your employers might have reason to worry more about hanging on to valuable workers. (more...)
Second chances: A different approach to finding workers
October 27th, 2010
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
Last week’s "Welding Wire" e-newsletter described what Turner Industries did to find workers for a pipe fabrication shop it built two years ago in Pasadena, Texas. As related in an article on chron.com, Personnel Manager Brian Daigle needed to hire 100 workers quickly, because the company had orders to fill from refineries and chemical plants. With most people working — "the economy was blowing and going" and "everyone who wanted to work already had a job" — a traditional staffing firm could not meet the hiring needs. The company had to "think outside of the box." (more...)
'A sturdy and successful career at Caterpillar'
October 20th, 2010
By: Vicki Bell
By: Vicki Bell
Articles about metal manufacturing pop up daily on the news sites I frequent and in my Google alerts. I scan them for information I think is important — both the good news and the not so good — to share with those who visit thefabricator.com.
There's been a preponderance of the latter in the last few years, and we’ve been told by the people with the crystal balls that we shouldn't expect conditions to improve significantly for some time. We also have been told that things likely will never be the way they were in times of peak prosperity before the Great Recession.
I get it, you get it … we all get it. Things are tough all over. That being said, there are reasons for hope that the worst is behind us and conditions are improving. Just ask newly hired Caterpillar Engineer Josh Jensen. (more...)
