Cleveland-area companies search for skilled employees

CLEVELAND - A once-dying breed is making a comeback in northeast Ohio. Manufacturing jobs are in high supply, with tens of thousands available locally.

Beginning Tuesday morning, the manufacturing industry is in the spotlight with the start of the first ever International Manufacturing Conference and EXPO at Cleveland's Galleria.

Manufacturing is in virtually every sector, from bio-tech to ceramics to metals, and skilled workers are in high demand.

Judith Crocker with MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, said the most common jobs are the middle-skill level jobs, which require about a year or two of education after high school.

"Many of them are technical jobs. We've seen electrical maintenance technician, mechanical maintenance technician, quality technician. An individual who is between making the product and the designer who designed them," Crocker said.

Nathan Modie was a welder, until about six months ago, when he lost his job because of downsizing. He then started searching the want ads.

"I checked the jobs all of the time, and CNC and machinist work always cam up. It's a growth industry at the time and that's what I am looking for," Modie said.

Modie ended up at Cuyahoga Community College's unified technologies center. The center focuses on specialized manufacturing and construction trades.

John Gajewski is the executive director of Cuyahoga County Community College's technologies center. Gajewski said they meet with companies on a regular basis to make sure that Tri-C's equipment and training is state of the art.

About 5,400 people a year come through the program.

"Because they earn college credits, they are Pell-grant eligible so it costs less than $1,000 for the first semester and less than $1,000 the second semester. It is very affordable," Gajewski said.

The first International Manufacturing Conference and EXPO begins Tuesday at Cleveland's Galleria at 1301 East 9th St.

The two-day event offers more than 150 exhibitor booths showing off the latest in manufacturing. Several speakers are also scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday.

For more information, head to www.mfgtradeshow.com.