(HUTTO, Texas) – Central Texas businesses are seeking people now to fill available machining and industrial maintenance positions.
“Many companies are experiencing turnovers due to natural attrition or retirement and are having trouble finding technicians to fill those spots,” said Edward Chaney, Texas State Technical College’s statewide chair of the Industrial Systems department.
During the month of October, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area in Cedar Park received listings for more than 50 openings for industrial machinery mechanics, machinists and millwrights in its nine-county region. Some of the companies seeking workers included Amentum, GMT Corp. and Greenbush Logistics. These jobs call for workers to have knowledge in aerial lifts, gauges, lathes, manufacturing and mathematics.
Jeff Rodriguez, an industrial account executive at Tradesmen International in Austin, said he has never seen such high demand for electricians, mechanics and welders.
“There is a lot of work, and a lot of our clients are reaching out to us with positions that we are filling,” he said. “I think what is going on in the industry now is there is more work than people ready to work.”
Rodriguez said some companies are dealing with the realities of the economy: as job site materials increase in cost, workers need to be assessed at a value that enables them to still make a good living. He recommends that people going into technical fields get as much training as possible and go to work quickly.
“Now is the time for you to have the job you want,” Rodriguez said.
Anthony Fiumara, shop foreman at M&H Machining in Georgetown, said the business has a sign out front seeking job applicants.
“We are having an extremely challenging time, but everybody is,” he said. “I have friends at other shops who have said everybody is looking to hire machinists right now.”
Fiumara credits this to a shortage of skilled workers, along with some applicants not following through on the application process.
“(There) has never been a better time to be a machinist because of all the opportunities coming into our area,” he said. “It’s a great time to be getting in the field.”
Bob Farley, director of economic development for the city of Hutto, said the city has attracted its share of advanced manufacturing ventures in recent years. He said it takes a continuous education and communication process aimed at young professionals and students to show the viable career paths they can take locally.
“Those types of jobs that come along generally pay well, support families that want to buy houses and raise kids, and drive other opportunities in the service sector,” he said. “Right now, I am pleased by what we are seeing. All I can say is, as long as the Austin market remains as desirable as it has become, you will see extremely high-quality prospects on the northeast side of the market.”
At its East Williamson County campus, TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Systems – Mechanical Specialization and a certificate of completion in Industrial Systems Mechanic, and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology and a certificate of completion in Machining.
Both programs are part of TSTC’s Money-Back Guarantee program. Students in their first semester are eligible to sign up for free with campus Career Services representatives. Students are able to take part in workshops learning about resume writing, interview techniques and other employment skills.
Students who are not hired in their field within six months after graduation may be eligible to get a tuition refund for their time at TSTC.
For more information, go to tstc.edu.
