b'TRAINING TUTELAGETraining is expensive, but so is not training.By Christopher Tate devastating the knowledge base that supports the shop floor workforce.W ho has not heard of the great resigna- Quite often, when a talented person is tion? Probably not many. Initiated bybrought on to a team, we anxiously anticipate the pandemic and fueled by worker discon- the day he or she resigns for a better job, for tent, the job market has been thrown into up- increased pay or just because the employee heaval as millions of people ditch their jobs.is ready for something new. All companies are Some never return to the job market while oth- going to continue struggling with this conun-ers change careers or find better jobs in theirdrum, but manufacturing companies will suffer field. Labor experts admit we are in an unprec- more because the work is complex and man-edented time of change. ufacturing jobs are proving to be undesirable The lack of skilled craftspeople has beenwith the changing workforce.a problem for manufacturing companies forSo what can we do to overcome these diffi-a decade or so as they struggle to overcomecult times?negative stereotypes and perceptions whileObvious answers are things like increased fighting to place talented people in criticalpay, improved benefits, better working con-roles. Many days, it feels like we are losing theditions, automation, outsourcing and flexi-fight. Now the great resignation is further re- ble schedules. We all know that these things ducing the number of skilled workers andare critical to attracting and retaining a skilled 44SEPTEMBER 2022 Training.indd 44 8/17/22 1:12 PM'