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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | M a r c h 2 0 2 1 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 17 company pays the referring employee a bonus of $1,000 for entry-level roles, $1,500 for manager-level roles, and $3,000 for director-level roles and above, according to Giagrande. "It's definitely more successful than just posting jobs and hoping to get good candidates," she said adding that it has helped the company fill lower-level positions. "If you think about it for any of those roles we'd be paying 30 percent if it was a recruiter," she continued. "is is still a remarkable savings and you are getting talent that you have some type of connection to." Depending on the roles they've sought aer, Milford-based Q-Tran has found talent from several external sources, including companies impacted by the pandemic. e lighting manufacturer has used talent agencies and online job boards to fill entry-level and production positions, but it has tracked down more skilled talent with the help of retained search firms that focus on specialized roles. "We've been able to find some really good people through executive searches who were from aerospace companies," said Q-Tran co-CEO Jim Binch, adding that the company was able to bolster its ranks with workers who were laid off or furloughed by other aerospace manufacturers. A statewide approach In recent years there's been increasing collaboration around workforce development between stakeholders across the state to bolster the manufacturing sector. "Everywhere you look there is a shortage of skilled labor and if we can crack the code here in Connecticut, that will give us tremendous competitive advantage relative to other states and regions," said Colin Cooper, the state's chief manufacturing officer. e state had just over 161,000 people working in manufacturing prior to the pandemic, with demand for thousands of new hires at the time due to the aging workforce. While there isn't a blanket method to tracking down talent, regional industry groups have been experimenting with various programs designed to provide candidates with foundational skills needed to enter the field. e Workforce Alliance, for example, recently announced registration is now open for the next series of its "Skill Up for Manufacturing" program. e free, five- week pre-apprentice training program was created to expand the state's manufacturing workforce pipeline, said Workforce Alliance CEO Bill Villano. "Companies are certainly looking for people to have the basics," he continued, adding that employers want candidates to be adept at hard skills like blueprint reading, shop math, safety regulations, and the fundamentals of using various machines. Meantime, Gov. Ned Lamont recently introduced legislation to help improve Connecticut's workforce by developing and investing in short-term training programs, increasing access to postsecondary education, enhancing workforce data- collection efforts, and codifying a new state office focused on workforce development. "Our goal is really to build upon the great work that has already been done and to continue to ensure that work is expanded and pushed forward in a really mindful effort," said Kelli-Marie Vallieres, executive director of the state's Office of Workforce Strategy and co-chair of the Governor's Workforce Council. She encourages companies to reach out to their regional manufacturing associations and become part of sector-based partnerships. "at's a really good place to look for talent," Vallieres said. n Since 1990 the highest number of manufacturing jobs in Connecticut peaked at 305,100. We have about half as many of those jobs today, but the industry has had a slow, but steady resurgence since 2015, up until the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out nearly 12,000 jobs in one month. However, the state's manufacturing industry has been resilient, steadily adding back jobs over the last nine months, and nearing pre-pandemic employment levels. Manufacturing jobs in CT Milford-based Bead Industries is one of several manufacturing companies looking for skilled talent to fill positions at their plant. PHOTO | COURTESY OF BEAD INDUSTRIES 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000 180,000 J F M A M J J A S O N D 2020 Manufacturing jobs in CT 161,600 151,000 158,200 Source: State of Connecticut Department of Labor, Office of Research Jill Mayer, CEO of Bead Industries.

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