Indiana continues to lose manufacturing jobs

When Bola Adekunle secured a job at Thomson Electronics in Marion he figured it would be the last job he would need.

For Adekunle and thousands of workers in Indiana, the closing of the Marion plant left him without a job.

From 1998 through February of 2005, Indiana lost more than 91,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector, jobs that have been hard to replace particularly in the automobile industry.

Adekunle, 56, worked at Thomson Electronics for 15 years after working for the city of Marion. Instead of seeking another job in a factory, Adekunle started taking classes at Ivy Tech in Kokomo in 2006, to earn a degree in heating and air conditioning.

"My plan was to retire from Thomson," Adekunle said. "I thought it was the last job I would have."

That all changed when Adekunle reported to work on the day shift and was told the plant would be closing.

"We had heard rumors about the plant closing, but didn't really believe that would happen," he said.

Adekunle said he had an interest in heating and air conditioning work after believing he was "ripped off" on the installation of a central air conditioning unit at his home.

"I learned the experience of the workers was worth more than the time they spent on the job or the equipment," he said.

The state of Indiana is paying for Adekunle's tuition and books, and it gives him money to live on.

"I wanted to get myself ready for employment," he said. "The heating and air conditioning business is thriving in Indiana."

Adekunle, who graduates in December, wants to land a job with another company and eventually open his own business.

"It was a little tough," he said of returning to school. "I noticed that I was one of the older students in the class. The instructors have been cooperative and helpful. It took a lot of effort."

Adekunle hopes this will be his last career move.

Of the other workers at Thomson, Adekunle said some have gone back to school while others are now driving 40 to 60 miles to work in another factory for less money.

"I was one of the lucky ones," he said. "I would tell people to educate themselves, even if it is taking one or two courses at a time.

"You have to have a back-up plan," Adekunle said. "You need to get an education and not rely on the factories. People should be looking at developing another occupation."

Pat Kiely, president of the Indiana Manufacturer's Association, said the number of manufacturing jobs in Indiana had been relatively static the past few years.

"We are the best of the worst," Kiely said of manufacturing job loss in the Midwest. "Other states are still losing manufacturing jobs."

The fact that the number of manufacturing jobs in Indiana has remained constant is a sign that the state administration is attracting investment, he said.

"Those jobs will start to come back," Kiely said. "There is starting to be a significant Japanese presence. Most of those companies are doing well, and General Motors and Ford are starting to see their financial performance improve."

This could be a critical year because of the number of union contracts that have to be negotiated, he added.

"This could be the start of a turnaround," Kiely said. "Suppliers are still getting hit, but some are picking up business from the Japanese manufacturers."

Christine Seamster, a 37-year-old mother of two, begain pursuing her welding certification at Ivy Tech in 2006 after enduring several layoffs at the Kokomo Transmission Plant. She started work at the transmission plant in 1999.

"I started taking welding through Tech Education, which was a Chrysler program," Seamster said. "It sounded interesting, and the first day in class I fell in love with it.

"The opportunity to get training was always there, but I didn't take advantage of it," she said. "I found the Career Transition Center after being laid off and found it was a viable option."

Her tuition and books are paid for through the center.

"I come from a union family," Seamster related. "They told me don't plan on retiring from there. At first I didn't believe them, but quickly came to realize it was true."

Seamster said most welders in the United States are nearing retirement age, and there will be a demand for trained people in the future.

"I'm getting the skills to find a job," she said. "The prospects are good, and I hope to have a job in a month. It will not be as much money as I was making, but we can make it."

Seamster said there were a few comments from classmates about a woman in a welding class, but she ignored them and carried on with the training.

"You have to prove yourself everyday," she said. "It has built up my confidence, and I have gotten to meet new people.

"I was terrified at first," she said. "I thought maybe this isn't for me, but I decided to give it a chance. I give most of the credit to my instructor, Roger King. He knew when I was getting down and boosted my confidence."

A side benefit for Seamster is that her children are taking their studies more seriously.

"My son said he was proud of me," she said. "It has not been easy."

Like Adekunle, Seamster said some of her former co-workers are taking any job they can find.

"My advice is to get off your butt and do something," she said." It is never too late to go back to school. For the woman, I would say anything is possible if you set your mind to it."

Andrew Penca, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said the agency's mission was to raise every worker up one level.

"The more you learn, the more you earn," he said. "We want to introduce the displaced workers to the educational opportunities available and then connect them with the right resources."

The state and federal government will provide financial assistance for up to two years of training, Penca said.

"The folks who take advantage of the opportunities are finding there is a silver lining in a dark cloud," he said. "Losing a job is devastating and difficult to deal with. We are promoting the concept of continuing education throughout your career."

Penca said the trend in manufacturing jobs in the automotive industry is to continue with the consolidation, but Indiana is seeing growth in life sciences, which is considered advanced manufacturing.

"Other sectors of the manufacturing economy have the potential for growth," he said. "Indiana is the only state to have three Japanese automotive plants that has room for future expansion."

Penca said job growth through Toyota, Honda and Cummins Diesel would help to offset the job loss in other manufacturing plants.