By Brenda Showalter, The Republic
bshowalter@therepublic.com
Honda and Cummins' plans to create 2,600 new jobs within three years will provide a big boost to area workers and the economy.
The excitement of the news, however, was accompanied by concern about how the companies and other manufacturers would find enough skilled labor to fill open positions.
Recent surveys showed that 90 percent of area manufacturers believe a moderate to severe shortage of qualified, skilled production workers exists.
Among the same companies, 39 percent see a moderate to severe shortage of unskilled production workers.
Some consider the situation a crisis that needs addressed through a joint effort of businesses, educators and civic leaders.
They have launched the "Dream It! Do It!" campaign, described as a "pro-manufacturing, economic growth, awareness and education initiative."
The campaign involves the 10 counties in the Region 9 Workforce Development region: Bartholomew, Jackson, Jennings, Decatur, Franklin, Ripley, Jefferson, Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland.
Assisting with the effort are National Association of Manufacturers and its research arm, The Manufacturing Institute.
This will be the fifth launch of a "Dream It! Do It!" campaign in the country.
The area campaign, the first in Indiana, will officially kick off during a public program at 10 a.m. Monday at the Columbus Learning Center on Central Avenue.
Among speakers scheduled to attend are Gov. Mitch Daniels and officials from Cummins Inc., Manufacturing Institute, Indiana Department of Workforce Development and Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
Ambitious effort
John Burnett, Columbus representative to the Region 9 board, sees the initiative as a long-term effort to connect students, recent high school graduates, educational institutions and manufacturers.
Among the goals are for young people to learn about opportunities available to them and for businesses to have a more skilled workers to fill jobs.
To accomplish this will require improved communication and champions within communities and organizations to lead the effort, Burnett said.
"There are great pools of excellence out there, but we need to look at how there can be better lines of communication," he said.
Coordination also will be needed to develop new education and training strategies and provide more career information and training.
"Success happens when people start talking to each other," said Jim Battin of Columbus, president of Strategic Consulting Group, who is coordinating the area effort.
Battin believes the project is "ambitious and comprehensive," but is critical for communities to direct young people into good jobs and supply manufacturers with skilled workers.
Another goal of the "Dream It! Do It!" campaign is to change an "outdated and negative industry image."
Other challenges include flat unemployment, increased technology requirements of manufacturers and poor math and science skills among students.
There also is growing competition among businesses for employees and changing community demographics including an aging work force.
Numbers tell story
"Indiana relies heavily on manufacturing," Burnett said. "More so than other states."
Nationwide, manufacturing employees about 14 percent of workers. In Indiana, the figure is close to 30 percent.
Of the Top 25 employers in the 10-county region, 15 are manufacturers. The top two are Cummins Inc. with 6,365 workers and Hillenbrand Industries in Batesville with 3,740.
Honda is expected to hire 2,000 for its new plant in Greensburg, and Cummins will add about 600 to its new light duty engine line at Plant One on Central Avenue.
Burnett said some concern exists that workers will fill those jobs quickly and leave other smaller manufacturers with openings that they have trouble filling.
One piece of the "Dream It! Do It!" campaign is about sharing information that could encourage more students to consider careers in manufacturing.
This includes:
The average annual state wages for manufacturing employees in 2005 was $35,463, not including benefits.
Manufacturing wages are 22 percent higher than average of all sectors.
Manufacturing pays wages and benefits that are about 25 percent higher than in nonmanufacturing jobs.
Manufacturing also benefits communities and is considered the largest contributor to economic growth.
Organizers are hoping to gather more support for the effort and are looking for those willing to serve on committees.
Although Bartholomew County is part of the effort, the work will focus on the entire 10-county region.