Best Practices for Hiring & Retention
At the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing, we are invested in our state's future.
At the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing, we are at the table when it comes to employment discussions in our state.
Aerospace and manufacturing leaders in Washington state tell us that we have the jobs. The problem is not a desire to hire - but finding qualified candidates to do the job.
While more students than ever are graduating from college, about 30% of Americans have a college degree, employers are saying young people entering the job market are not prepared.
"We are hearing this from industry people in all industries," says Mary Kaye Bredeson, director of the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing.
In fact, employers in Washington state say it plain and simple - Young people need more technical training and those retraining need to be prepared to relearn soft skills while learning how to do a job.
Top 10 pathways to better hiring and retention of employees
| #1 | Career and Technical Educations (CTE) courses in middle and high school that direct students into hands-on, career-based learning. |
| #2 | Awareness and open-mindedness of parents, teachers, counselors and students about CTE and STEM programs. |
| #3 | Community interaction and involvement with mentoring and classroom support offering a real world perspective. |
| #4 | Industry tours and support of students in region. |
| #5 | Short-term certificate programs at local community colleges. |
| #6 | Pre-employment training and testing like NCRC, NAMs, WorkKeys and KeyTrain. |
| #7 | Apprenticeship support and programs like the one provided by Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC). |
| #8 | Partnerships between industry and education at K-12 and community college level to ensure that what is being taught is being used in industry - i.e. Curriculum development. |
| #9 | Career and Technical Advisory Councils in each community. |
| #10 | Partnerships and discussion between industry and educational groups - willingness to collaborate and train the next generation. |