The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had an interesting story on Sunday about the state’s lack of trained workers — and how it has led to Bucyrus focusing at least part of its expansion in Kilgore, Texas, rather than locally.
Check out the story here. From it:
Finding qualified, factory-grade welders in an old-line industrial city such as Milwaukee had become arduous to near impossible. Calling himself a “killjoy,” Sullivan said he quietly phoned a few contacts in Texas to see whether the Lone Star State could provide him enough welders who are qualified to piece together the colossal mining machines that Bucyrus ships to India, China and elsewhere around the world.
A delegation of senior Texas government authorities met Sullivan at the airport, including the mayor of the town of Kilgore. In a one-hour lunch, they matched Bucyrus with a ready-to-occupy factory with every possible amenity.
More important, they asked Sullivan exactly what sort of workers he needed. Sullivan said 80 with specific skill. The state gave Sullivan a guarantee that the workers would be waiting when the doors opened at the expansion site in Kilgore. State officials customized a recruitment, training and certification program. One year later, when the expansion site in Kilgore opened its doors, the 80 welders were waiting.
In the two years since then, the Texas site has more than doubled to 184 total workers and plans to keep hiring. And back in Milwaukee, Sullivan has said next to nothing in public about the Kilgore expansion.
Thankfully, Bucyrus also continues to invest in South Milwaukee, with the recent expansion and renovation of its visitor center and museum. Also, the Journal Sentinel has this nugget about local jobs …
Bucyrus employs about 1,700 in metro Milwaukee, “going to 2,000,” Sullivan said.
South Milwaukee Blog 