Pella Recognizes National Skilled Trades Day, Highlights Importance of Bridging the Skills Gap

“More and more ‘Baby Boomers’ are saying goodbye to their jobs in construction, manufacturing and engineering, and companies are really feeling the crunch,” said Shelly Cole, HR director of operations and engineering for Pella Corporation (Pella). 

Pella, a leading window and door manufacturer, is highlighting the importance of skilled trades jobs by recognizing National Skilled Trades Day tomorrow, May 5^th. Observed the first Wednesday in May, this day celebrates the crucial role skilled labor plays in the economy and in the job market, while also focusing on encouraging younger generations to explore career options in the skilled trades.

Like all Pella manufacturing locations, the company’s main facility in Pella relies on the expertise of individuals who work in skilled trades positions – all of whom play an important part in keeping the production lines maintained and operating smoothly. Examples of these key positions include welders, electricians, machinists, tool and die operators, die builders and maintenance technicians.

“We have many people working behind-the-scenes in skilled trades positions that help support our production line efforts here. Finding people to fill these key positions – like maintenance techs, machinists and tool and die builders – is an increasing challenge, which is why we are always on the lookout for individuals with certain skill sets that contribute to our plant operations as we continue to grow,” explained Nicolle Picray, public relations and brand communications manager for Pella.

Companywide, Pella currently employs individuals in skilled trades-related positions at each of its 17 manufacturing facilities nationwide. In addition, the company supports a number of initiatives designed to bring awareness to skills training. For example, Pella is again partnering with SkillsUSA and Fine Homebuilding® to offer scholarships through their #KeepCraftAlive movement.

Recent industry projections estimated that, by the end of 2020, there would be more than 31 million trade skills job vacancies nationwide. Pella – at both the corporate and local levels – understands the urgency in identifying, recruiting and training workers for roles in skilled trades-related positions, all of which will be critical to fill given the company’s future growth projections.

“We are actively identifying ways to offer an exciting career experience for manufacturing and skilled trades at many of our plants. By focusing on training talent, growing their skills and advancing their career quickly, it’s really a fantastic career trajectory for people to consider,” said Cole. “The availability of manufacturing and trades jobs is growing, and skilled workers are in high demand. These types of careers offer great benefits, growth opportunity and job security – most often without a four-year degree requirement.”

Why recognizing Skilled Trades Day is important for everyone:

• People working in the skilled trades – machinists, welders, electricians, tool and die operators, die builders, maintenance technicians, etc. – are critical to keeping production lines running and operating at maximum capacity.

• The cost of labor will increase for these specialized skills. This, in turn, has financial implications for end-consumers buying a host of different products.

• A career in the skilled trades offers an alternative educational experience. You can get a good paying job without a traditional four-year degree.

• The U.S. economy relies heavily on skilled trades workers in many different industries, not just for windows and doors.

• A lack of skilled trades workers can lead to production delays, negatively impact the ability of companies to deliver goods and services, and also have a negative impact on the overall economy as companies struggle to meet growing demand.

To help put a spotlight on the need for people of all ages to consider the skilled trades as a viable career path, go to National Skilled Trades Day for ideas on how you can get involved or show support in your community. This includes career building resources for young children, like a skilled trades coloring book.

For more information on current skilled trades-related openings at Pella, please visit pella.com/about/careers for a listing of opportunities available nationwide.