August 24, 2016
Contact: Mary Enger, Communications Director, 636-949-1856, or 636-443-1008, menger@sccmo.org
St. Charles County, MO – An online survey developed by the Manufacturing Task Force of the St. Charles County Workforce Development Board will assist more than 300 St. Charles County manufacturers in recruiting skilled workers and continuing to grow and succeed in the community. The task force includes members of St. Charles County Government, St. Charles Community College, Lewis & Clark Career Center, Ranken Technical College – Wentzville, O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Seyer Industries and EDC Business & Community Partners.
The survey, available online now at www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCCWorkforce2016v2, is designed to be taken by businesses that fall under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Manufacturing Code. It seeks information on company staffing plans, the ability to find qualified applicants, current and future needs for technical skill training and more. Feedback from the survey will help shape the programs and efforts of numerous resource centers in St. Charles County.
“We are working to better understand what local manufacturers are looking for in new applicants,” says Scott Drachnik, director of the St. Charles County Department of Workforce & Business Development. “Additionally, when working with educational institutions and training providers, the responses will enable us to better prepare the local workforce for manufacturing jobs that are available now, and those of the future.”
Manufacturing has changed through the decades. “The image of the dirty, dark, hot factory is not what 21st century, advanced manufacturing is all about in St. Charles County and around the St. Louis region,” says Drachnik. “Manufacturing is high tech, and it is alive and well in our community. In fact, it makes up about 12 percent of local employment, and weekly wage averages make it one of the top paying business sectors.”
Drachnik says the online survey has 12 questions and will take 5 minutes or less to complete. “The more manufacturers we hear from,” he says, “the better we are able to help businesses and labor.”
The response rate has been about 10 percent since the survey went online last month. Drachnik said the Task Force hopes to double the number of respondents before issuing a final report to local officials and the community.
For more information about the local economy, please contact the St. Charles County Department of Workforce & Business Development at 636-255-6060 or visit http://www.sccmo.org/Workforce-Business-Development.
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