Bison Gear & Engineering Announces Skilled Workforce Initiative

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Bison Gear—a manufacturing company with 220 employees—is working with colleagues to implement a solution which remedies the shortage of qualified entry-level workers in manufacturing. Manufacturing leaders, educational institutions, and economic and workplace organizations have come together to create a talent pool of better-qualified employees with plans to offer long-term, stable employment. The decision to invest in an educational program can ensure a stronger economy, with a skilled workforce engaged and thriving in our communities. Those looking to train in a high-growth field should consider this initiative. It will benefit a variety of diverse groups such as:

• Manufacturers
• Educational institutions
• High-school graduates
• Retired workers
• Displaced workers, thorough no fault of their own
• Incumbent workers looking to improve their current skill set
• Economic and workforce development organizations

A training program is currently being compiled, consisting of applied math and manufacturing principles. The classes will meet weekly for 12 weeks. Participants must be at least 18 years old, legal residents, and meet qualification determined assessments. The 96-hour course curriculum entails: shop math; blueprint reading; measuring requirements; use of hand tools; safety skills; employment/life skills; quality improvement; and business success.

Upon successful completion of the training program, students will seek an entry level position at one of the 10-12 manufacturing organizations in Illinois who are partners of the initiative. Students will then be placed in a paid 90-day internship where the focus will be “on the job training” (OJT) to improve their manufacturing skills. More-specialized level 2 training will then follow, with an additional 72 hours of training in a specific manufacturing area.

The cost of this training is still being researched. Bison is also investigating the possibility of establishing grants and funding assistance for tuition costs. For additional information about this program contact Sylvia Wetzel at swetzel@bisongear.com.

With robust fractional horsepower gearmotor designs offering up to twice as much torque in the same package size as competitors, Bison Gear & Engineering Corp. continues to grow upon a strong engineering tradition begun in 1960. Bison designs and produces gearmotors in parallel shaft and right angle configurations—as well as AC and DC motors only—for OEMs worldwide who demand the best long-lifetime value. To learn more go to [www.bisongear.com].