Opinion: Manufacturers Need More Immigration, Not Less

It’s no secret that there is a shortage of skilled machinists and toolmakers in America, the media’s been reporting on it for years. It’s even more the case when manufacturers and job shops look for machinists with advanced CNC skills who can work directly from 3D models to program, set up and make complex parts. I experience this dearth of advanced talent firsthand in my business and I would like to propose a solution that could accelerate a fix to the problem.

Trade schools are starting to revive their programs and manufacturers are hiring apprentices. Those are definitely steps in the right direction, but they are too slow and will take too long to have meaningful impact on the needs of today’s manufacturing businesses. It takes years of experience to learn the machining and tool-making trades. Further, you need very experienced people to train the apprentices to learn the skill, finesse and tricks of the trade.

So, if the talent we need right now isn’t in America, where is it? It is abundant in Asia because that’s where all the manufacturing work went. They haven’t just been manufacturing products at a torrid pace, they have been manufacturing skilled talent as well. We need that talent. And I know from doing business for many years in China, many Asians would jump at the opportunity to live in America for a few years.

I decided to test my theory and ran an advertisement in Taiwan for experienced machinists and was very specific about the skillsets needed. I felt like I had struck a talent gold mine. In contrast, I constantly run that same advertisement in America and will only occasionally get a response from persons with the skills and experience needed. In all fairness, I do get a lot of responses from young people wanting to learn the trade, and we’ve hired some of them, but it will take years for them to hit stride. Plus, we need more of the experienced people for them to learn from. Unfortunately, I have yet to find enough highly skilled CNC machinists here in the states and I still have several jobs going unfulfilled, for which I continue to run advertisements across multiple channels.

“If an exception can be made for fashion models, we should be able to make one for highly-skilled and experienced manufacturing talent that would help bring manufacturing back to America.”

After receiving so many great responses from Taiwan, I contacted an immigration attorney and asked what I would need to do if I wanted to hire a couple of them for two years. He basically told me it was not going happen. I asked him about all the computer programmers that get H-1B Visas to work in America. I argued that skilled machinists can do more for our economy and job creation than computer programmers can.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 98.2% of all H-1B Visas granted in 2012 were to people in computer-related fields. The lawyer then informed me that, with the exception of fashion models, a person must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to qualify for an H-1B.

I don’t think any of the qualified and experienced machinists that applied to my advertisement from Taiwan had bachelor’s degrees. They had hands-on experience. If an exception can be made for fashion models, we should be able to make one for highly-skilled and experienced manufacturing talent that would help bring manufacturing back to America, further net job creation and reverse the trend of displacing an American worker with someone cheaper.

While I fully admit that I am not a government policy expert, I would encourage congress to make a temporary H-1B exception for highly skilled manufacturing workers. The only way to fix many of the problems we are facing is to rebuild our manufacturing sector and put people to work. It’s time to use the talent in other countries that we helped advance to now help ourselves rebuild the U.S. manufacturing sector.


MORE LIKE THIS

  • Get the CEO Briefing

    Sign up today to get weekly access to the latest issues affecting CEOs in every industry
  • upcoming events

    Roundtable

    Strategic Planning Workshop

    1:00 - 5:00 pm

    We are in a period of rapid change. Customer needs, technologies, competitors and internal capabilities require companies to review and update their strategies for the new realities. In this workshop, strategy experts Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison will show you a systematic approach to strategic planning to help you refine or redefine your business strategy and approach including:

    • Learn what you need to know to develop an effective strategic plan. Put the right players on the strategic planning team.
    • Develop strategies that leverage your company’s unique position in the marketplace. Lift your management team beyond “business as usual” thought processes and activities.
    • Translate your strategies into action. Achieve your vision for success and generate superior financial results.
    • Identify exactly what you need to do now to position your company for future success.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

    Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

    Limited space available.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

    Golf Outing

    10:30 - 5:00 pm
    General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
    Sponsored by UBS

    General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

    The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.