LancasterThrivingSummerFall2017 - 14
BUSINESS: BUSINESS PRIORITIES the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that as many as one out of 10 workers will retire either this year or the next. Employers are responding by recruiting aggressively and raising wages for younger workers. Overall, two-year technical degree earners are beginning to outpace annual earnings of many four-year graduates, according to Kevin Fleming, a national advocate of career and technical education. "The STEM jobs currently needed nationally require handson technical skills, contextualized general education understanding, and industry credentials," explains Fleming, dean of instruction for career and technical education programs at Norco College, California. "We are producing many college graduates, but too few possess the employability, technical, and professional skills STEM employers are seeking." Flex-Cell, so far, has been able to avoid the consequences of the skills gap. They have never turned down a job because of fears about scaling their workforce, as have some companies. The average age of their workers is in the upper 20s. The company's experience may be a model for other manufacturers. SLOW AND STEADY Recruiting and retaining young talent is not necessarily a strategic goal of the company, but it has succeeded where others struggle. Originally manufacturing microwave housings for military clients, Flex-Cell now does a lot of work in hybrid electronics and, recently, medical devices. "We've evolved in the industries we've served," Fanning says. "We don't want to grow too fast where we don't know how to handle it, and we don't want to stay stagnant, either." 14 | LANCASTERTHRIVING! | Summer/Fall2017