Is There a Skilled Trades Shortage? | Morrison Custom Welding

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 16:34:54 GMT

Skilled trades include plumbers, pipefitters, HVAC technicians, electricians, construction workers, welders and others in similar jobs. Although these jobs are extremely valuable and necessary, there’s a problem—and that’s the huge shortage of skilled trades workers available for hire. Read on to learn more about today’s skilled trades shortage.

Why is there such a shortage of skilled trades workers?

There are a few different reasons that trades companies don’t have enough well-qualified workers. These include:

1. Fewer vocational education programs — Now more than ever, there’s a huge emphasis on pushing students to get a college degree as opposed to training at a technical school in order to work in a skilled trade. As a result, many students are drawn only to “white collar” jobs because they see that these jobs are a way for them to work comfortably and avoid physically demanding labor.

2. Misconceptions about working in the manufacturing industry — In general, people view white-collar jobs (such as working in an office environment) to be comfortable, high-paying jobs with great opportunities. In many cases, this is true. But what many people do not see is that white-collar jobs are no longer necessarily the best-paying jobs with the most opportunities. Today’s skilled trades jobs are high-paying, flexible and include countless opportunities too. And, unlike many white-collar jobs, people who can work these skilled trade jobs are now in very high demand!

3. Retiring workers — Baby boomers working in skilled trades are now beginning to retire in masses. And it’s estimated that more than half of all skilled trades companies in the United States are having a hard time finding qualified people to replace these retirees.

What industries and companies are affected by this shortage?

The industries that have been hit the hardest by the skilled trades shortage are the construction industry, the manufacturing industry, and the oil and gas industry. Many manufacturers, construction companies, energy companies, and other firms are really feeling the burn.

One of the biggest skilled trade occupations hit by this shortage is welding. Welders play an important role in so many industries, most notably the construction industry, as they supply the connections for steel-frame buildings. And unfortunately, this problem hasn’t shown any signs of getting better in the near future. The manufacturing industry predicts it will be short two million workers by 2025. Furthermore, the American Welding Society estimates that the country will need more than 400,000 welders by 2025 too.

We’d love to talk with you!

If you want to talk to us more about the skilled trades shortage and our role in employing all kinds of people in the skilled trades industries, we’re always just a phone call away. You can reach us today at 330-264-0626!

Metal Fabrication 101 | Morrison Custom Welding

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 16:34:54 GMT

At MCW , we specialize in custom metal fabrication. But what exactly does that mean? Keep reading to learn all the metal fabrication basics, common metals used and more.

What is Metal fabrication?

Metal fabrication is the creation of machine parts, structural components and metal structures from raw metal materials. This is done by different cutting, shaping, bending and final assembly processes. Metal fabrication projects include everything from hand railings to heavy equipment and machinery.

Using a one-stop metal fabrication shop—such as MCW—helps keep businesses from having to work with multiple vendors to complete projects.

The most common metals used in metal fabrication are:

Pipe and tube—The first common metal is pipe and tube. Pipes are round, pressure-rated and used to transfer fluid or gas. Tubes are square, rectangular or round and used for structural applications. Both pipes and tubes are hollow and available in carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and various other materials.

Bar stock—This is a common metal that can be machined, bent, rolled and cut for many different applications. It comes in a variety of shapes, including round, square and rectangular, and it’s available in many materials, including carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum and more.

Plate and sheet metals—Carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum and more make up these types of flat metals. It comes prefabricated in a range of sizes and can be used for many applications, including military and defense, construction, home appliances and more.

Structural shapes—This type of metal is any prefabricated piece of metal that’s designed for standard assembly. Many structural metals are used in construction and engineering. Some examples of structural metals are bars, beams, angles, and channels.

Has your interest in metal fabrication been piqued?

Here at MCW, we’re a metal fabrication company based in northeast Ohio. We work hard to bring personalized attention to each and every job. Our manufacturing facility is more than 30,000 square feet, which gives us the capability to complete all projects in-house.

Our metal fabrication services include portable welding, carbon steel, stainless steel, welding, aluminum, piping and so much more.

To talk more about our custom metal fabrication capabilities, call us today at 330-264-0626! We would love to partner with you.

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Is There a Skilled Trades Shortage? | Morrison Custom Welding

Why is there such a shortage of skilled trades workers?

Metal Fabrication 101 | Morrison Custom Welding