‘C4’ Continues Skills Gap Battle

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The president of NTN Driveshaft in Columbus says he “would hire another 25 people tomorrow” if he could find workers with the needed skills. Barry Parkhurst says the company is working with C4 Columbus Area Career Connection in hopes of developing a more well-trained work force. The program provides a curriculum designed to create a path for high school students into electronics or machining careers. Parkhurst and C4 Director Gene Hack discussed the effort on Inside INdiana Business Television. Parkhurst says a hurdle to manufacturing hiring continues to be the industry's perception. He says the program aims to show students that manufacturing facilities are not “sweatshops,” and that the work requires highly-skilled employees.

C4 serves 11 high schools in Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson and Johnson counties. Hack says the organization offers more than 600 community school-to-work partnerships allowing students to get real work experience while taking classes. He says there are also dual credit opportunities with Ivy Tech Community College.

Sources: C4 Columbus Area Career Connection, NTN Driveshaft, Inside INdiana Business