Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1419323
StuffMadeinMA.com • 2 0 2 1 • S T U F F 9 Wire [& Cable Co. Inc.] is investing in their people in a systematic way," said Killam. Education all around The $30-million Ware company has about 100 employees but welcomes more, said Stacy Gilmour, vice president of human resources at Quabbin Wire. Two positions the company has trouble filling not requiring manufac- turing backgrounds are machine operators and technician roles in quality assurance. Quabbin Wire has had training coordi- nators and recruiters for several years, roles now filled by Kara Bidga and Maddie McKinnon, them- selves representing non-manufacturing backgrounds, Bigda is a former pub- lic-school teacher and McKinnon newly graduated, having studied criminal justice and psychology. Both Dexter-Russell and Quabbin Wire have invested in cross training workers. "This provides opportunities for employees to learn more and gain more value," said Gilmour, as well as for the company to manage the staffing shortage and demand overall. In terms of training curriculum, Bigda has tailored Quabbin Wire's 90-day pro- gram to each new production operator. The mandatory program may not take 90 days to complete, she said, but can be cus- tomized to an employee's skill level and training ability. This better addresses a team member's strengths and weaknesses. There is a lot of interaction and feed- back with trainers and managers, said Gilmour, in terms of what they see in each individual and what they need more of in operations. "No matter your experience, there is always a way to cross over," said Bigda of working in manufacturing. "That is important." "You may have worked in a kitchen, but have mechanical skills," said McKinnon – skills transferrable as assets to Quabbin Wire. Lenient pre-screening In considering applicants, said Gilmour, companies like Quabbin Wire have had to rethink their hiring methods. They have taken an approach of more lenient pre-screening. "We'll speak with almost anyone," she said. And with proper training investment, it pays off. Through Community Action Pioneer Valley's re-entry program, Quabbin Wire has hired an individual who was previously incarcerated, with the agency providing access to classes and OSHA certification, said Gilmour. "That was all done on Community Action's end," with the hire a successful one. Another such hire is in the pipeline, she said. While job seekers need not be shy about stepping up to the plate, Killam encourages companies to explore training resources and grants from organizations such as MassHire, Center for Advanced Manufacturing at MassTech, and Commonwealth Corporation. "There's money out there to do this stuff," he said, allowing companies to hit the ground running with employees who are ready to go. "They need to know how they can use that to train these people." S Stacy Gilmour Maddie McKinnon Kara Bigda 48% The average annual Worcester County manufacturing employee salary is 48% higher than the average of the employees in the healthcare and social assistance field. Dexter-Russell manufactures a variety of knives in its Massachusetts facilities.