Brayden Sellers, a senior from Crestview in Precision Machining, programs a CNC mill in lab.
By: Rick Turner, Vantage Superintendent
A seismic shift in the US workforce is happening right now and will continue for years to come. The Baby Boomer generation has dominated the workforce for many years but has begun aging out into retirement. Every day in the United States, 10,000 people are turning 65 years old, a trend that will continue for the next 15-17 years. This is having a dramatic effect on the availability of skilled workers needed to keep our businesses and industries competitive. When analyzing those numbers, the shortage of people in the trades is alarming. The average age of a welder in this country is 56 years old, and other trades such as machinists, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and industrial maintenance technicians are all showing similar average ages. The shortage of nurses, though seemingly already dire, isn’t even predicted to peak until 2022. Business support services, such as IT and service industry careers are also in high demand. Phrases such as “the silver tsunami” are beginning to be used to describe the aging of our workforce, and this silver tsunami is causing area companies to turn to Vantage Career Center to provide them with the skilled workers needed to remain competitive.
In any community, economic development efforts include a discussion regarding the availability of a skilled workforce. Communities that can provide an adequately prepared workforce can retain their existing companies and attract new ones. When existing companies are thriving and capable of expanding, and when communities are competitive in attracting new businesses, everyone wins – the standard of living rises and our youth want to remain in the region to raise their families and invest in the future. With the aging of our workforce and the demand for higher skilled workers growing, there are primarily two options for a community to provide the workforce needed. Option one is to recruit workers that already possess the needed skills from other regions. The second option is for communities to provide the high demand skills training needed to help people obtain these skills. Vantage Career Center provides the in-demand technical skills training that area employers value. Vantage plays a critical role in facilitating economic development efforts to retain current businesses and allow them to grow by providing the workforce they need – and Vantage also plays a critical role in the efforts to attract new businesses into the region by providing a skilled workforce that is available to them.
There has never been a more critical time for a technically trained workforce. When considering the growing demand for a skilled workforce that area businesses need to survive and thrive, and the potential created for new businesses to look at our community by having an adequately trained workforce available to them, Vantage is an excellent Return On Investment.
On November 7, Vantage will have a .8 mill renewal levy on the ballot. This is NO NEW MONEY, but a continuation of funding. This levy is a renewal, and will cost a homeowner $16.73 per year on a $100,000 home, or 4.6 cents per day. This money provides critical dollars for basic daily operation expenses and educational supplies. If you need further information please feel free to contact me at 419-238-5411 or 800-686-3944, ext. 2102
