Connecticut manufacturers’ greatest challenge is lack of skilled workers. Finding replacements for retiring qualified employees and filling positions to meet growing demand needs a long-term solution and Connecticut legislators are working to provide one.

We already know that we need to bridge the gap between what manufacturers need and what schools are teaching. The question is: who will step in to teach?

Newly passed legislation will create a task force to study the best ways to encourage manufacturing professionals to consider teaching. By taking the skills of our existing crop of manufacturing experts, we can train a new generation of manufacturers for Connecticut.

The legislation consists of two parts:

1. Study ways to improve efforts to recruit manufacturing teachers.
2. Examine issues related to the professional development and in-service training requirements for educators.

Sirois Tool president Alan Ortner was appointed by House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz to serve as a member of the task force. Ortner will work with a team of knowledgeable members, including a technical high school teacher, a university professor in manufacturing, and a high school superintendent, among others.

Specifically, the task force will examine the need for manufacturing teachers at different grade levels, the interest of manufacturing professionals in teaching, what obstacles and constraints exist that might inhibit recruitment and any potential state actions that could improve and increase recruitment.

Connecticut manufacturers can only be as innovative and educated as we teach our employees to be. We need qualified professionals to help teach the necessary skills. They can also help to promote manufacturing overall and show young students that these are desirable jobs that pay well. By equipping the next generation of workers with an interest and knowledge in manufacturing, we can fill jobs with an educated workforce and revitalize our manufacturing sector.

Sirois Tool manufactures precision tooling and gage products for the bearing, medical, aerospace, and firearm industries and OEM manufacturers. We are committed to supporting the industry through education, legislation, and development of a technical labor force.