This past weekend, we celebrated our 30th anniversary high school class reunion with a unique twist. We had both a physical and virtual reunion. Meaning, we had people who had flown and drove in from all over the country to small town Lexington, North Carolina to meet at a local banquet hall. But also had people dial in from all from all over the world, from Texas, Florida, DC for a video conference at the same time. We had hoped that classmates from Iraq and Taiwan would have joined us, but due to work schedules could not make it.

After conducting several tours of employers with new technical workers, want to share some suggestions so that more employers do not make the same mistakes I have witnessed.

Not sure if you know but I am helping guide some workforce development efforts and working with some carefully screened talent and putting them through an accelerated training program to help area businesses have a better selection of workers. This has been a wonderful experience for all involved and allowed me to do more than talk about the Maintenance Crisis but actually do something to solve it.

Since the mainstream media operates by the mantra "if it bleeds, it leads", providing some good industrial news that has broader impact:
VW investing over 1 billion dollars in new plants in Chattanooga, TN.
Boeing building Dreamliner in Charleston, SC. Already employs over 1000 new workers.
AIRBUS plans to assemble planes in Huntsville, AL.
Caterpillar WS adding more workers to build super truck axels in WS- need over 90 machinists now.
ABCO Automation will add 2 more shifts once it uncovers enough machining talent.
Siemens new turbine plant in Charlotte needs 1250 machinists

If you stood up Monday night or have been tuning into the sports news, you would think that the biggest crisis our nation faces is the NFL replacement refs made a bad call. Our nation's president, the challenger, senators, governors, and with the millions of tweets, and face-book updates from US citizens expressing their disdain for the quality of the replacement referee performances, seems everyone is concerned.

So I ask you, should fixing football, a past-time, become our nations top priority?

Not to get into whether we should go for blue or red this year, but just frustrated that the US election pendulum paralyzes the economy for 6 months every four years. So many companies during an election, stop all capital purchase, hiring decisions and other measures until the election fallout has been decided and smoke clears until the following March.

Amazingly the cost of education continues to surpass inflationary costs despite record levels of enrollments. Many parents wonder if they are failing their kids by not being able to cover the enormous cost for traditional education outlets. With enormous fees of over 20-40 at major institutions students are being faced with a severe debt sentence.

Sadly, many of the graduates of the four year academic programs cannot locate employment or compensation to cover their loans and cost of living expenses.

If you have not heard a grass roots effort is underway around the country to dispel the negative images and stigmas the general public has about manufacturing on October 5th.

Companies around the US are hosting open houses, plant tours and I personally am helping set up two Salute to Manufacturing events. One will be held for a breakfast in Greensboro, NC at the JobLink Center on 303 North Raleigh Street from 8-10am. Then from 12-2pm on October 5th, we will Saluting Manufacturing at the High Point, NC JobLink Center.

Despite the general malaise and anxieties perceived in the job market with the absence of high volume open hiring, companies are still on the look out for quality talent. However, to avoid being inundated with lengthy lines, high volume telephone calls and resume stacks of unqualified talent, companies are employing stealth hiring techniques.

Companies have realized that buying want ads in newspapers, radio and television is not only expensive but also opens the net so wide that they do not have time to filter through the resumes, phone calls or possible lines.

Is it not amazing how when Hollywood showcases a profession or even a hobby like poker or archery that a copycat craze ensues? Really wish that Hollywood producers would consider adding more movies that glorify the skilled trades as I continue to run into social walls that are blocking the development of future talent pools in our education system.

Back in the 80's before there were nets, football fans would love to sit in end-zone seats with the promise that they may take home a game-ball. If you remember Mark Moseley of the Washington Redskins, he was a straight on field goal kicker and a friend of mine went to the game with the dream of catching and coming home with the Redskin trophy ball.

Those outside games were very cold and the fashion back then was to wear Michelin man like down jackets. To be candid, during that game my friend partook from his flask a little too much, but he was really determined to get a ball.