Top Echelon Contracting Accepts More CNC Machinists

(Editor’s Note: This is the next in a series of guest blog posts about contract staffing, courtesy of Top Echelon Contracting, the recruiter’s back-office solution.  Similar posts will appear in future issues of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.)

In response to the growing need for skilled labor in the engineering and manufacturing sector, Top Echelon Contracting has worked with our insurance underwriters to allow the placement of more CNC machinists in a wider variety of work environments.

TEC already places a wide range of professionals in engineering and manufacturing positions.  In fact, engineering and manufacturing accounted for 18% of TEC placements last year.  As more manufacturing jobs are coming back to the United States, we wanted to expand our ability to place CNC machinists to address the growing need.

Alan Carty, President and CEO of Automationtechies and Automation.com, recently spoke to us about the role of CNC machinists in today’s industries.

“The CNC machinist job is dramatically different from the machinist role of 20-plus years ago,” Carty said.  “Today it is a hybrid position that not only requires the traditional machinist’s skills, but more technically advanced skills, such as CNC programming.”

Carty added that the need for skilled workers is tied closely to the increasing factory automation.

“Companies have been holding back because of the economy, but now the time has come to expand and start hiring,” Carty said.  “There is currently a strong demand for factory automation professionals.  In our niche, we are seeing more and more openings for process control engineers and automation/controls engineers, along with a multitude of other automation related opportunities.”

However, many of those openings are going unfilled as manufacturers struggle to find workers with the needed skills.  Manufacturing jobs, which were previously dominated by lower-skilled positions that only required a high school diploma, have changed dramatically since the recession.  Today’s jobs require some form of higher education or training.  But CFO.com reported that fewer than 10% of American teenagers are planning to pursue skilled-trade careers.

According to a recent survey by Deloitte Consulting and the Manufacturing Institute, there are approximately 600,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs.  Of the more than 1,100 manufacturing executives surveyed, two-thirds reported that they are facing a moderate to severe shortage of skilled labor.

Carty, who has been recruiting since 2000 and has a strong background in both direct hire and contract staffing, said there is currently a stronger demand for direct hire in his niche.  But he believes that as the number of automation projects continues to increase, contract staffing will also grow in this sector.

Contract staffing can help manufacturers with their automation projects and expansions in a number of ways.  First, contracting allows them to quickly bring in experienced skilled workers who can immediately have a positive impact on production.  Contractors also allow manufacturers to adjust their workforce based on the current demand for their products. They can utilize contractors when business is strong, and when there is a dip in business, they can end contract assignments without the negative press of a layoff.  In addition, contract staffing allows manufacturers to retain or bring back retirees who are already trained in their specific skill set.

CNC machinist opportunities span a wide range of industries and risk factors.  To find out if TEC can accept your CNC machinist contract placements, call us at (888) 627-3678.

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888.627.3678
dfledderjohann@topecheloncontracting.com
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