TRAVERSE CITY ? The auto industry started in Michigan more than a century ago because of the plethora of tooling shops located here. Its future health now depends on keeping the 867 tool and die shops thriving – why Harbour Results is supporting the Michigan Economic Development Corporation?s efforts to bolster the tooling industry.

In collaboration with the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, Harbour is helping the MEDC develop peer discussions, benchmarking, best practices as well as enhancing professional growth, Laurie Harbour, president and CEO, said in an interview at the Center for Automotive Research?s Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City.

?Tooling capacity will become a serious challenge for the automotive industry in the near future,? she said. ?Michigan and its robust tooling industry must continue to compete in the global marketplace.?

Harbour also is working with the OESA Tooling Forum, a group of independent manufacturers of tools, dies, jigs and fixtures for the automotive industry, to preach the gospel of working in the tool and die industry. The skilled labor shortage is one of the top issues discussed.

The average age today of a tool and die maker is 56, Harbour said. That means these professionals are nearing retirement age and there is a serious skills gap behind them, particularly in the 30 to 40 age group. In other words, the replacements are not waiting to step into these soon-to-be-open positions, which account for some 24,000 jobs today. The skills shortage, in part, is due to an old image of manufacturing.

?There is a perception among younger people that manufacturing is dirty and unsafe,? Harbour said. ?We?ve got to get into educating these people on how the manufacturing environment today is clean and safe. You can practically eat off the floors of today?s factories.?

Harbour also said tooling is well paying, generating a yearly wage of $72,000. Many workers, with overtime, make well over $100,000 a year. The state want to get into classrooms and share this message with students and guidance counselors to recruit tomorrow?s tool and die makers.

?Schools have been turning kids away from manufacturing,? Harbour said. ?The MEDC is working with us and the OESA to develop messaging and marketing to let schools and students know there are lots of open, well-paying jobs in the tool and die industry. Kids today are more plugged into technology. They are smarter about technology. They can run these computerized machines better than the current generation. But they think manufacturing is unskilled and dirty.?

The problem, however, runs deeper than just the perception of manufacturing among younger people, she said. It also goes to their work ethic. The existing apprenticeship programs only have a 10- to 12-percent retention rate. That means the recruiting program will have to bring in large numbers of people to find those who really want to make tooling a career path.

What It may mean is Michigan?s tooling industry and the state will have to reach out throughout the Midwest to find people not only with the right technology inclination, but also the right work ethic to fill the thousands of tooling positions that will be generated in the years to come, Harbour said. Through this new joint marketing effort, she remains optimistic the people will be found to keep Michigan?s tool and die heritage alive and well.

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