Workforce Development
Forging Careers
Think forging is an ‘old-fashioned’ industry? Think again! Thousands of individuals with diverse work experience have exciting, rewarding careers and internships in the forging industry. Click here to visit the Forging Career Center.
Careers in Forging: Curious about the different opportunities in the forging industry? Watch these videos to find out more: Click here.
Workforce Development Summits
The Foundation hosts Technology and Workforce Development Summits to develop meaningful relationships between industry, faculty and students for senior design/research projects and develop a talent pipeline through internships and interactions. Contact the Foundation Office at [email protected] for upcoming Summits.
Best Practices for engaging students to become future employees.
- Senior Project Sponsorship. The students work either individually or in a team on a project of interest to them. Industry-sponsored projects can take many different forms. Some projects are funded by the industry partner. Other projects may be supported by test samples or in-kind support from the industry. The deliverables include a detailed final report and presentation plus an industry problem/issue that gets addressed solved.
- Class Presentation. Make a presentation about your organization’s products, operations, and technology to a regular Materials Engineering class. Here is an opportunity to engage with interested students with significant time for Q&A. Most faculty would welcome this opportunity.
- Post a position on the Forging Career Center links industry to potential candidates through the Engineering and Science Career Network.
- Internships are a powerful tool in future workforce development. Don’t have an internship program? Download the PowerPoint to see how your company can organize an internship program. There is no downside to internships for forging companies. These represent a minimal investment on the industry’s part. In addition, they provide a summer-long interview process with outstanding results for the company. Meanwhile, students gain valuable experience. A great internship will generate a lot of positive buzz about the company and the forging industry back at the university.
- Plant Tour Plus. This is not just a typical plant tour your company would give to visitors. These students are the next generation employees, and they should be treated as if all of them would want a job at your particular company. The plant tours need to be detailed, meaningful and end with a small giveaway to the students (hat, t-shirt, water bottle, etc.). A plant tour can literally change a student’s career path – students really have no idea how interesting forging is until they can see it in action.
- On-Campus Talk. Reach out to a broader audience through a campus club or society of interested students with pizza and presentation to talk about your processes and products. The better the presentation/interaction, the better the buzz.
- Research Project with Faculty. This would be a multi-year effort to solve a significant company problem that may align with funding from the Forging Foundation.
- Participate in Manufacturing Day. Officially the first Friday in October of each year, Manufacturing Day is your opportunity to showcase your company as an employer of choice.
Download PDF - Engage with Educators and Students - specific steps and ideas
FIA Workforce Development Committee
Mission & Purpose: Equip FIA members with strategies and tools to build and advance the forging industry workforce.
Click here to view the current committee roster.
Resources
The Foundation hosts Technology and Workforce Development Summits to develop meaningful relationships between industry, faculty and students for senior design/research projects and develop a talent pipeline through internships and interactions. Contact the Foundation Office for upcoming Summits.
Best Practices for engaging university students to become future employees.
Internships are a powerful tool in future workforce development.
Career Center - Posting a position on the Forging Career Center links industry to potential candidates through the Engineering and Science Career Network.
Users may post Internship postings at no cost.
Manufacturing Day Officially the first Friday in October of each year, Manufacturing Day is your opportunity to showcase your company as an employer of choice.
Engage with Educators and Students - specific steps and ideas
Building Your Future Workforce at Community Colleges
Presidents' Challenge: Funds raised through the Presidents’ Challenge will be used provide scholarship funding to local community college tied to plant tours, appropriate classwork, internships/apprenticeships, and to hold Workforce Development Summits especially at Community Colleges to promote the industry, provide local training resources and connect industry with potential interns/new hires. You have an opportunity to make a difference in workforce development for this industry! Interested in joining the industry’s presidents and making a personal contribution of $1,500? Please contact the Forging Foundation at [email protected] or download the pledge form here.
