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Knox County Manufacturers Partner for Workforce Pilot
With the help of: Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Ohio MEP)
About
Ohio-based Eagle Engineered Solutions is a global provider of 3D printed cores, patterns and related services to the investment casting industry. With 25 employees at its production facility in Mount Vernon, Eagle approaches each project by evaluating the specific challenges faced by its customers and recommending the appropriate solutions. Their customers include the foundries that manufacture precision metal castings for the space exploration, industrial power generation, aerospace, medical and automotive OEMs.
The Challenge
Eagle Engineered Solutions, like most manufacturers is facing a shortage of workers in the post-pandemic marketplace.
The timing of the Knox ASPECT program could not have worked out better for us. Coming off a down period, we looked to ramp production and found it difficult to find qualified people interested in working in a manufacturing environment. I learned of the ASPECT program through Knox County Area Development Foundation’s President, Jeff Gottke. Jeff put me in touch with Brent Mauer at MEP. Brent filled me in on the details and I was sold. In my opinion, anyone who is looking for employment in a manufacturing setting and is willing to invest in themselves with skills training put themselves above those interviewing for the same position. We liked the structure of the training so much that we paid a newly hired employee to attend the classes. When all was said and done we ended up with an existing employee with newly acquired skills and hired two graduates from the Knox ASPECT program. We look forward to participating with Knox ASCECT again and interviewing new candidates from the next class of graduates.
MEP's Role
Eagle joined seven other Knox County manufacturers in a pilot program with the Ohio MEP, part of the MEP National Network™, and Knox County WorkDev called Knox ASPECT. The MEP worked with the companies and partners at WorkDev to develop the program curriculum and navigate the logistics for recruitment and program delivery.
The program was designed to focus on soft skills and some technical training and serve as a pipeline for individuals seeking to transition to a manufacturing career. Eagle sent one current employee to the training and hired two of the ASPECT graduates and has seen a positive impact on its operations. The current employee was promoted and given increased responsibility after the APECT training. The pilot program was deemed a success and all eight companies have committed to participating again with a second cohort in the spring of 2022.
The program was designed to focus on soft skills and some technical training and serve as a pipeline for individuals seeking to transition to a manufacturing career. Eagle sent one current employee to the training and hired two of the ASPECT graduates and has seen a positive impact on its operations. The current employee was promoted and given increased responsibility after the APECT training. The pilot program was deemed a success and all eight companies have committed to participating again with a second cohort in the spring of 2022.
Created February 1, 2022, Updated October 20, 2023