Panel Discussion on Skilled Workforce: Find, Train, Retain
Our panelists discussed differences between the US and German education and training systems, current challenges, and business best practices.
The handout distributed at the conference can be downloaded here. It provides a structural overview on the German apprenticeship system and informs about GACCoM's upcoming initiatives and support for employers seeking skilled applicants.
For more information on our programs and initiatives as well as current articles on the skilled workforce challenge, visit www.gaccom.org/skills.
Introduction and moderation
Simone Pohl
President & CEO, German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest
Panelists:
Dr. Walter Maisel, President & CEO, KOSTAL of North America, Inc.-
can draw on a decade of experience with his company’s public-private training partnership program in Michigan and will provide best practice examples. The KOSTAL Group develops and manufactures technologically demanding electronic and electro-mechanical products most widely used in the automotive industry. KOSTAL’s Center of Excellence in Troy, MI serves as the Business Center for the entire North American market.
Martin Saur, Director of Manufacturing, Bekum America-
is a founding member of Bekum America’s European style Apprenticeship program and has himself completed a 3-year apprenticeship at Walter Buesch in Germany in addition to his college education. As the Chairman of Bekum’s apprenticeship program, he is closely involved in the mentoring of each participating apprentice. Bekum provides a wide range of extrusion blow molding machines and complete systems capable of producing articles from small, highly intricate medical parts to 500 gallon bulk containers.
Markus Schyboll, CEO of Schunk of North America, Inc. –
will report about Schunk’s public-private training partnership with the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) which produces 2-4 new hires for Schunk each year. The company also tries to pique the interest of engineering students early in their studies and just recently welcomed a group from MSOE’s German partner school, the Lubeck University of Applied Sciences. Schunk specializes in carbon technology, graphite, ceramics, environmental simulation technology and climate technology, sintered metal technology, and ultrasonic welding technology.
Geoffrey Somary, President & CEO, Ipsen, Inc. -
will discuss Ipsen’s strategies for attracting and retaining the best talent for the company’s complex engineering and manufacturing processes.
A provider of innovative thermal processing technologies, Ipsen’s furnace systems are used in critical applications such as medical implants, aerospace components and automotive parts, to name a few.
