OCC hosting summit for Jersey Shore Manufacturers

Manufacturing businesses in Ocean and Monmouth Counties will get a chance to discuss their employment needs and the training they require at a summit being hosted by Ocean County College in Toms River next week.

Michael Forcella, Manager of Business Engagement at OCC, pointed out manufacturing in the United States and New Jersey is going through new type of Industrial Revolution, noting 70 percent of average employers have under 50 employees.

"We think in our counties, our manufacturers may even be less than 50 employees. As such, it's hard for them to take themselves out of the mix of the day to day to find employees, to work on skill sets that these employees need, and that's the whole thrust and objective of our effort," said Forcella.

OCC, Brookdale Community College, Lakewood Development Corporation, ManufactureNJ Talent Network, NJ Manufacturing Extension Program, and Ocean County Vocational-Technical Schools have developed a partnership to collectively work to help Jersey Shore manufacturers develop a highly-trained manufacturing workforce.

There are a lot of opportunities for training and grants to provide training, according to Forcella.

"We want to listen to manufacturers. We want to hear from them why it's hard to find help, and exactly what type of skills sets, what type of training employees will need," Forcella said. "And once we hear this information, we'll be able to follow up to provide these needs in a realm that will really help them," he added.

There's an urgent demand by manufacturers for skilled workers in both newly created positions and to replace retiring workers, according to Forcella.

"Today's manufacturing is no longer the manufacturing plant of the Depression days. Our factories are robotic, they're technology-advanced, they have wonderful human resource programs," said Forcella.

Forcella hopes the summit helps identify more of the area's manufacturers and develops some credibility and authenticity with manufacturers. "So that they'll talk to us, and for us to build relationships with them that will also help our citizens of Monmouth and Ocean County," he said.

The Manufacturing Employer Summit will feature a panel of employers including:
Guest Speaker Brian Neuwirth, President Unex Corp.;
Moderator Ian Trammel, Executive Director, MechaForce;
Michael Donahue, Corporate Human Resources Manager, Viking Yachts;
Michael Kolibas, President, Komo Machine;
Terri Bower, Human Resource Manager, PL Custom Body;
Andrew Davidson, Vice President, Advanced Products, LLC, Manufacturer of Structural Railing Systems; and Frank Robinson, First Vice President, NJ Business & Industry Association.

Forcella estimated there's approximately 376 manufacturers in Ocean County and about 500 in Monmouth County.

"We have members that are going to sit on the panel that have worked with the College in the past, that have hired trained people that we put through manufacturing courses, and this is what they need to hear. And again, that will build that credibility and authenticity that they'll want to hear more," Forcella said.

The Manufacturing Employer Summit at OCC, takes place, Wednesday, September 30,  from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., 5th Floor Meeting Room, Gateway Building (#101), Toms River, NJ.  Admission is free.

For information, contact Michael Forcella, Manager of Business Engagement, Ocean County College, at 732-255-0400, ext. 2157, or mforcella@ocean.edu.