September Workforce Newsletter

Posted By: Taylor Dowd (deleted) Newsletters, Workforce News,
The Bi-Weekly Workforce Newsletter of the Council of Industry
September 22, 2022
Member Workforce News
Estee Lauder Apprentices Graduate from First-Ever Cohort
The Council of Industry was first introduced to Long Island-based Estee Lauder in 2018, at which time the company was interested in launching an apprentice program to build a pipeline of skilled workers for long-term positions.
"Companies struggled to continue the apprentice program during the pandemic," says Johnnieanne Hansen, VP of Operations and Workforce Development, who worked closely with Estee Lauder on the program. "Understandably, it was difficult to invest in a long-term training program while managing the uncertainty and added pressures. It was impressive that these individuals and Estee Lauder recognized the value of this opportunity, and although delayed, never gave up on helping their employees earn this credential."
Workforce Development Institute (WDI) Supports Training for Council Members
The Workforce Development Institute (WDI) is a statewide non-profit that works to increase opportunities for all New Yorkers to succeed in the workforce. They use a range of tools including “boots on the ground” information, workforce expertise, data analysis, and flexible funding to facilitate projects that help labor unions, employers, educational institutions, and other workforce partners think and act differently regarding hiring, training, educating, and retaining an inclusive and productive workforce.
WDI has helped dozens of Council members through the years develop their workforces by adding equipment, supporting apprentices and delivering training. Currently WDI is sponsoring an OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Course (offered by Reis Group) where registered apprentices can receive a credential free of charge. The Organization is also supporting the training of President Container Group supervisors who are taking the Council of Industry's Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership program this Fall.
"WDI is a terrific organization to partner with" Said Johnnieanne Hansen, Vice President of Operations and Workforce at the Council of Industry." The application and reporting processes are simple and straight forward and our Hudson Valley reps Mary Jane Bertram and Deryl Beasley are great to work with."
If you are interested in learning more about WDI you can visit their website or contact Johnnieanne Hansen.
In-Person Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership Classes Begin October 6th
For over 25 years, The Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership program has offered attendees a range of leadership skills through concentrations of courses. Participants who complete the required courses are presented with the Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership by the Council of Industry.
Fundamentals of Leadership begins on 10/6.
Upskill Your Workforce With The MIAP Apprentice Program
Quality Assurance Auditors ensure a company's production processes are up to regulation. They help with decisions regarding quality of products, materials, and equipment.
Email Johnnieanne Hansen to Learn more.
For information on advertising in this and other CI publications contact Harold King (hking@councilofindustry.org)
Candidate Profiles
Periodically the Council of Industry will share profiles of individuals who have applied for, or expressed an interest in, a job in Hudson Valley manufacturing.
Subscribers of the Collaborative Recruiting Initiative can view candidate resumes and contact information by searching the candidate ID number in iCIMS platform.
Other Council members can contact Johnnieanne Hansen directly for additional candidate details or to learn more about the recruiting initiative.
Position Interest: Product Development / Design Engineering / Fabrication
Education: Bachelor’s Degree–Mechanical Engineering
SummaryThis candidate has developed their skills in the mechanical engineering field with a focus on the creation &assembly of models within Solid works.Looking to utilize their 4 years of on the job / classroom product design experience within a manufacturing setting.They currently reside in Wallkill and are open to commuting. If you are looking to grow your Design / Product development team, feel free to reach out to this candidate.
Position InterestManufacturing Technician / Quality Control Technician
Education: Certification in Manufacturing Leadership
Summary: A hard working, reliable candidate looking to utilize their 10 years of manufacturing technician experience.Strong experience in a supervisory role with roughly 6 years leading individuals, 4 of those in a manufacturing setting. Knowledge in a variety of technical and hands on skills such as troubleshooting, fabrication, QC and QA as well as blueprint & schematic reading. This candidate would bean asset to any manufacturing team and is open to interviews.
Position Interest: Human Resources / Marketing / Communications
Education: Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Science–Child & Family Studies
Summary: This candidate is looking to utilize their MBA along with their handful of years in the recruitment, outreach, and education field to the fullest. Currently looking for full time or part time remote work opportunity in HR,Marketing and/or communications fields. Excellent communication skills along with a deep understanding of community outreach and CRM systems makes this candidate an excellent choice for a wide range of teams.
Position Interest: Administrative / Office role
Education: Bachelor’s Degree–Secondary Education English
Summary: This candidate is looking for a long-term career opportunity which would allow them to make use of and utilize their very well-balanced experience in an office & administrative environment. After over 10years in the electrical & construction setting, this has created an ideal candidate for an administrative role within a manufacturing environment.This candidate possesses excellent skills related to QuickBooks, office management, scheduling & payroll. Willing to commute 45 minutes from the Middletown area, if you are actively looking for an Office Administrator feel free to reach out.
Position Interest: Management / IT Administration
Education: Bachelor’s Degree–Criminal Justice
Summary: A hardworking, reliable candidate looking to utilize their decades of knowledge in a variety of roles such as management, supervising, IT & law enforcement. This individual has a deep understanding of inventory management, scheduling, hiring as well as over a decade in the IT field. Looking for a full-time position in a supervisory role or within an IT department.This individual currently lives in Goshen, NY, and is open to commuting.
News for HR and Workforce Professionals
More Workers Head to Picket Lines Amid Higher Inflation and a Tight Job Market
There were 180 strikes involving roughly 78,000 workers in the first six months of this year, up from 102 involving 26,500 workers in the same period a year earlier, according to a strike tracker created by researchers at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
More unions and employers are also entering into tough contract deliberations, with the potential for strikes looming. Workers’ demands include higher pay to account for inflation as well as better conditions, reflecting how the pandemic has reshaped jobs and many people’s attitudes about their work.
Saying the Right Thing: How to Have Those Tough Workplace Diversity Conversations
Some businesses shy away from undertaking fresh work around diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) because leaders deem such efforts unnecessary. These individuals may reflect on the many advances society has made in the name of social justice over the last generation or two and believe themselves and their teams to be good people who would never intentionally discriminate against others.
As DE&I has continued to become a bigger priority within society over the last decade, organizations such as Great Minds in STEM (GMiS) and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) have created programs that specifically focus on promoting, educating, and spotlighting diverse talent in the field.
In a career field that rewards out-of-the-box thinking and innovation, having a diverse workforce increases a company’s productivity. It helps it become more creative and profitable. This year, I was honored as a Luminary for my contributions to this effort through Shell, which has long been an
advocate of diversity and inclusion within the space and has instituted numerous partnerships to support the effort.
Diversity and Inclusion in STEM Fields Must Be Woven Into the Culture
How Voluntary Benefits Have Gone from Important to Critical
Voluntary benefits have always been an important part of an employer’s benefits strategy. Today, they are not just important, they are critical. A myriad of factors are creating additional stress on employers, especially their need to manage health care costs. At the same time, employees are placing greater emphasis on protecting their health and looking to their employers to provide traditional and non-traditional benefits.
The following challenges help illustrate why voluntary benefits have been pushed to the forefront, the impact they have on employers and the role of benefits advisors in this new environment.
OSHA Urges Adoption of Safety and Health Management Systems
“While OSHA often requests a company’s ‘safety program’ during its onsite inspections, this is a misnomer as there is no federal requirement for an overarching ‘safety program’ to govern all hazards and safety and health programs,” attorneys from the law firm of Seyfarth Shaw said.
Currently, there is no federal OSHA regulation that requires an SHMS (although there has been talk for many years of federal OSHA developing a federal SHMS or Injury and Illness Prevention Plan standard, no regulations have materialized).
However, the OSHA guidance does explicitly recommend that each employer develop an SHMS that encompasses all safety and health programs. Here is how to build a safety plan.
OSHA Strengthens Severe Violator Enforcement Program
OSHA announced on Sept. 15 that it will both strengthen enforcement and improve compliance with workplace safety standards in an effort to reduce worker injuries and illnesses. It will do this by, expanding the criteria for placement in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
The new criteria include violations of all hazards and OSHA standards and will continue to focus on repeat offenders in all industries. Previously, an employer could be in the program for failing to meet a limited number of standards. The changes will broaden the program’s scope with the possibility that additional industries will fall within its parameters.
How to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health in the Workplace
The American Psychological Association regularly polls Americans about their stress levels. In March, more than 80% of respondents said the biggest stressors of their lives included all of these concerns: inflation, supply chain issues, global uncertainty and Ukraine. The report stated that while we are doing remarkably well in coping with these issues, we are reaching “unprecedented levels of stress.”
The report also notes that diminished social support during the pandemic made coping with stress much more difficult. It’s time we reverse these trends, and it starts with us as leaders. We don’t have to perpetuate negative and stressful environments any longer, especially in the workplace. There are changes you can make in your organization to reduce stress and improve mental and physical health for all. You can start by developing a new understanding of stress, creating a long-term strategy for your organization, and helping people feel connected and supported.
3 Ways to Revamp Your Hiring Process to Bring in and Keep Top Talent
Evaluating employees and new hires based on transferable job skills instead of work histories can help level the playing field while also allowing HR leaders to capitalize on the talent they already have. Because transferable skills are highly valued in the modern era, skill-based hiring practices allow for more diverse talent pools and often lead to more improved and effective hiring processes in the long run.
* Write job descriptions from the candidate’s perspective.
* Tailor benefits to appeal to the ideal candidates for the role.
* Create opportunities for growth and development.
iCIMS August Insights Report: Part Time Hiring is Out Pacing Full Time Hiring
August brought a rebound in the talent market, following the mid-summer dip from June to July. Job openings, applications and hires are back on an upward trend - with application activity now at the highest it has been all year, up 31% since January 2022.
While it has been a hot job market nearly all year, part-time employment may be driving some of the growth. Part-time hiring growth has consistently outpaced full-time hiring growth since April 2022 and is up 29% since the start of the year
HR Briefs
Upcoming Programs, Training and Events
Orange County Community STEM & Mfg Day
When: Saturday, October 29 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Where: Valley Central High School High School
Who: Students, Families and Community Members
Cost: Free
The Council of Industry and Valley Central High School are looking for local professionals, schools, and companies in the STEAM fields including Manufacturing, Trades, Engineering, Architecture, Design, and related fields to participate in their second annual Community STEAM and Mfg Day.
Council members are encouraged to participate!
The event will feature food and music, a helicopter landing and more! It builds on last year's successful event at Goshen High School.
Technology/STEAM programs from several Local high schools and middle schools will be participating as well providing the opportunity to connect with local STEM educators.
Questions?
Contact: Nick Longo nicholas.longo@vcsdny.org or
Harold King hking@councilofindustry.org
The Manufacturing Matters Podcast
Manufacturing Matters Podcast: Christopher Shaw, Relationship Banker, JP Morgan Chase
Before joining Chase, Chris founded CORE Leader, a leadership development company. While running CORE, Chris also founded the NYC chapter of Bunker Labs, a national non-profit that helps veterans start and grow businesses.
In this episode, Council of Industry Vice President Johnnieanne Hansen speaks with Christopher Shaw, a relationship banker for Hudson Valley-based middle market companies. They also discuss how JP Morgan Chase is working to help industrial customers solve some of their biggest non-financial challenges – finding skilled labor. We also discuss how Chris, and Chase, are committed to helping America’s military veterans find careers in manufacturing and other sectors.