With a higher mix, lower volume business model, Oberg’s workers aren’t doing the same thing day in and day out.
Although it’s been well documented that manufacturing lost a generation of workers, Bonvenuto says he’s noticed more interest in advanced manufacturing recently.
“It’s still an issue. As you look at the numbers, we still need more people. We need more people interested in advanced manufacturing here locally in the Pittsburgh region and we need it on a national basis,” he says. “But I’m encouraged to see positive signs over the last five years.”
Putting teeth behind the training
The foundation of Oberg’s hiring has been its apprenticeship program, which the company’s founder started 50 years ago. In recent years, however, the program has evolved.
Bonvenuto says the apprenticeship program moved from a time-based program, where you simply had to log in hours, to a competency model.
“People who can accelerate through the program are able to get through the program maybe 12 to 15 months sooner than some of their colleagues,” he says.
Oberg also added new programs. In 2014, the company received approval for six new apprenticeship programs that relate to its new verticals.
But the biggest change is a partnership with a local high school.
Although Oberg has close ties to local vocational/technical schools where enrollment is the highest it’s been in the past eight years, its junior apprenticeship advantage program is new territory.
High school students who haven’t made the decision to go to a vocational/technical school but have an interest in a technical career are able to take curriculum related to potentially having a career at Oberg. The students learn about geometric tolerancing, programing and Oberg’s key markets.
In return, the students shadow Oberg employees. If they have a passing grade in the class and a passing grade on Oberg’s entry test, Bonvenuto says the company guarantees it will hire that high school student directly into the company as an apprentice upon graduation.
“We think that’s the difference, where so many people are out working on these kind of partnerships and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) initiatives and various things of that nature, we put more teeth behind it to say we’re guaranteeing employment, as a result of it,” he says.
“We’re not just putting training dollars at it or trying to educate. Yes, we’re doing that too, but we’ll back it up with guaranteed employment.”
A culture of retention
The apprenticeship program trains employees in the skills that Oberg needs, so the company also must create a culture to ensure those employees stick around.
“The No. 1 thing we have to focus on is building a culture here that wants to retain the employees that we have. No. 2 is to attract new employees in,” Bonvenuto says. “But if you’re doing No. 1 right, if we’re keeping a culture here, then No. 2 kind of falls in line.”
That culture was put to the test in 2002 when Oberg acquired a facility in Costa Rica.
