Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/92622
Sarasota News Leader November 9, 2012 six years to annual salaries ranging between $50,000 and $80,000 per year. UNDERSTANDING THE GAP Schmidt explained that a common misconcep- tion about manufacturing is that it has two levels of workers: highly skilled employees with college degrees, such as engineers; and low-skill workers, such as those with high school diplomas and/or "very, very basic, mi- nor certifications." Too few jobs exist for either type of employ- ee in modern manufacturing firms, she ex- plained. "The missing link," Schmidt said, is the em- ployee with middle-level skills, such as the precision machinists, skilled welders and boat fabricators. "There are far more jobs available than workers qualified to fill them. This is the skill gap." In response to a ques- tion from Commis- sioner Nora Patter- son, Schmidt said the middle-level jobs skills easily are transferable among manufacturers. Page 43 sure their funding was being used in a timely fashion to assist with the workforce initiative. In the short-term, she said, representatives of manufacturing companies in the two counties would focus on deciding what other training programs were needed in the community. Schmidt added, "Manufacturers are a dead- line, fast-action, 'let's-move-on-this' type of group. … To keep everyone at the table, there will be deadlines and they will be met." Bowden also noted that the school district would be recruiting high school students for the new SCTI program. In the future, he said, district staff would work on making middle school students aware of it as well. fast-action, 'let's-move-on-this' type of group. … To keep everyone at the table, there will be deadlines and they will be met. Manufacturers are a deadline, Manufacturers Association Sarasota-Manatee Jennifer Schmidt President After five years, Schmidt said, "You're even more desirable [to another manufacturer] and you're even hotter in the job market, quite honestly." STEPS FORWARD Mireya C. Eavey, executive director of Care- erEdge, told the commissioners that her orga- nization had investors who wanted to make "I believe once you get the word out among the students, you'll have a waiting list after you get the 25 [for the first slots]," Commis- sioner Carolyn Mason told him. Eavey asked the com- missioners for their endorsement of the plans of action, be- cause that would give the manufacturers, the school district and other stakeholders the credibility they needed in the community to make the initiatives work. "I believe, to accomplish this, you need cham- pions," Eavey said. Yet another aspect of the effort that would benefit from the endorsement, she noted, would be the goal to make it a model for oth- er communities.