As the economy continues to recover, unemployment is at near-record lows. That presents unique challenges to companies like Ben Machine which rely on highly skilled people at the top of their game, particularly in the field of CNC machining. Many of our engineers and machinists have been with us for decades, providing invaluable expertise from the CNC machining industry. Still, in an organization with our size and growth, we always need new talent.
Ben Machine is fortunate enough to be located in Toronto, an area with a great quality of life that makes it attractive to new hires from out of the area. But ever proactive, Ben Machine has also worked for decades to foster the skills and interests that young people need to join our high-precision machining careers.
Getting an Early Start
We participate in and support cooperative programs at colleges, including nearby Humber College. These programs provide opportunities and resources for young people to learn the types of advanced skills they need to join our team. The way we see it, even if they go to work elsewhere, we’re helping develop a better-trained and more employable workforce in the field of machining. That can only help our community.
We also support younger students, with sponsorships for robotics competitions and other STEM programs throughout the area. Fostering that interest in mathematics, engineering, mechanics and even computer science helps our kids lay the groundwork for bigger and better things in precision CNC machining and sheet metal fabrication. When students get to cut their teeth on highly visible challenges, pitting their work against others as well as their own personal standards, they learn that drive to be their best. That is the kind of spark they will need to be successful in the high-tech future that awaits them after school.
Learning the Ins and Outs of Precision CNC Machining
We work with young people outside of school, too. At any given time, fully ten percent of our workforce at Ben Machine is comprised of students. Not only do they get good part-time jobs, but they get to learn skills that can serve as the basis for careers once they’re out of school.
Of course, students learning the state of the art don’t want to learn how their grandfathers did the same job. They want to cut their teeth on cutting-edge CNC machining equipment. After all, today’s cutting-edge will be old hat by the time they enter the workforce. The experience and training they receive today will serve as a solid foundation for them going forward. The principles of precision CNC machining remain the same. The behavior of materials being machined doesn’t change. The ability to measure tolerances and spot problems is as valuable as it’s ever been and will serve them in the future.
The job market is always growing and shrinking. The challenges of finding and retaining top-quality talent shift along with it. For fifty years, Ben Machine has done whatever it takes to get and keep the best people we can find (and we have found some amazing people). We are proud of our work to not only recruit the best professionals in the machining industry but to also help foster the best people as they enter the workforce.
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