By establishing a public relations campaign in the area and working area employment agencies to find and screen entry-level employees, the company had 900 people on staff in two years. Other small manufacturers take similar proactive roles in their area schools by advertising in their programs, offering plant tours, and sponsoring job fairs. Private placement services, company-run web sites, and even encouraging staff to tell their friends about openings may also attract workers. As manufacturing changes, however, just finding good people isn't enough. They have to be trained.
Formal training can be an expensive proposition.
The Texas Department of Economic Development's Smart Jobs Fund exists to assist small businesses to address the vital issue of employee education and training. Since the program was established by the 73rd Legislature in 1993, Smart Jobs has funded training for nearly 60,000 new and existing positions. The Smart Jobs evaluation process looks favorably on applications that have a heavy emphasis on occupational-specific skills training. Occupational-specific skills are competencies that other employers would recognize as transferable and valuable to their organization. Trainees must be able to use the new skills as part of their job functions.