“ My class had someone new come in almost every week and they would not only help us join their company or college , but they would give us life advice that would help us later on in our careers ,” Chuol said . “ This program is really great because of all those connections . If a student knows they want to do a hands-on kind of job but has no idea how to build those skills … this program will help with that .”
The National Association of Manufacturers ( NAM ) cites that one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturing today is finding the right talent . Compared to data from 2018 , manufacturing companies report that it is now 36 percent harder to find workers despite the unemployment rate nearly doubling the supply of potential employees . The problem extends from filling entry-level production positions to finding , hiring , and retaining skilled workers for specific jobs .
Core Plus Aerospace serves as a bridge that connects potential workers with eager employers . Chuol explains , “ The key is that [ students ] are graduating with options and we have the freedom to choose what we want to do next .”
That is welcome news for the manufacturing industry , and specifically for Boeing , which sponsors Core Plus Aerospace and also designed the program curriculum based on the needs within its own workforce . Students who participate in Core Plus Aerospace are trained and evaluated by skilled professionals , many from Boeing . This helps students with networking and career preparation , as well as exposure to potential employers . Chuol is one of several Core Plus Aerospace graduates who earned a full-time position at Boeing after graduation .
“ I ’ ve been with the company for three years now ,” Chuol said . “ Basically my job is to ensure that a work area is safe to work in . The other part is storage , and here in Moses Lake , we have about 170 airplanes we have to maintain .”
Core Plus Aerospace is an innovative program that provides students with the training they need to step into in-demand careers and fill critical skills gaps in the U . S . manufacturing sector — a win for both young talent and the aerospace industry .
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2022 ISSUE NO . 29 19