Specialty Fabrics Review September 2022 - 6

[ FIRST IMPRESSIONS ]
[ CALENDAR OF EVENTS ]
They're out there
W
hat's the labor picture in your area? Do you have enough skilled
staff? A recent post on the Advanced Textile Association's
CONNECT forum asked, " Is it getting any easier for you to find
employees in the textiles industry? " The replies were indicative
of how the " front lines " of the industry confront labor challenges.
" My travels recently indicate that people are still having a tough
time finding good help, " notes Brett Baird, Southern Regional Sales
Manager at Trivantage, in Lithia Springs, Ga.
" From everything we see here, people are still
Tim Goral,
Senior Editor
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having a hard time filling positions with folks
that are willing to work, " notes Ed Vander Vegte,
operations manager for OutFront Portable Solutions
in Lincoln, Ontario, Canada. " But, between things
slowing down and costs going up, more businesses
like ours are working with the folks we have rather
than hiring more people. The economic uncertainty
is creating caution in new hiring. "
At Charlotte Tent and Awning, in Charlotte,
N.C., operations manager Roger Carroll says,
" We have plenty of people applying to our job
posting, but we are having a hard time finding
good people with strong work ethics. "
The flip side of finding good people, of course,
is keeping them. Bud Weisbart, vice president at
A&R Tarpaulins in Fontana, Calif., described the
company's approach. " We continuously make a
commitment to long-term employment for our
production and office staff through our mentoring
and internship processes and programs, " he says.
And, if you are wondering where the " new
blood " will come from, Kimberly Hay, ATA's membership sales and
recruitment coordinator, shared an inquiry from a young woman
looking to break into the industry.
" I know I want a job in textiles, but I just don't know what, where, or
how, " this recent graduate wrote. " I have been knitting, spinning, dying,
sewing, quilting, and some carding and weaving for over a decade. "
So, they're out there. And if you are attending the IFAI Expo in
Charlotte, N.C., next month, you can meet with others facing the
same problem and share ideas.
September 2022
Marine Fabricators Association
Southeast Regional Workshop
SEPTEMBER 16-17 / Riviera Beach, Fla.
marine.textiles.org/marineworkshops
October 2022
2022
Oct. 12-14 / Education: Oct. 11-14
Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte, N.C. USA
ifaiexpo.com
November 2022
Marine Fabricators Association
Southwest Regional Workshop
NOVEMBER 11-12 / Salt Lake City, UT
marine.textiles.org/marineworkshops
Upholstery and Trim
Annual Convention
NOVEMBER 16-18 / Las Vegas, Nev.
textiles.org/utac
January 2023
Tent Conference 2023
JANUARY 11-13 / Hyatt Regency Savannah,
Savannah, Ga.
textiles.org/tentconference
NECPA Expo 2023
JANUARY 19-21 / Sheraton Monarch Place,
Springfield, Mass.
necpa.org
Marine Fabricators
Conference 2023
JANUARY 26-28 / Sheraton New Orleans,
New Orleans, La.
textiles.org/marineconference
February 2023
Geosynthetics Conference 2023
FEBRUARY 5-8 / Kansas City, Mo.
geosyntheticsconference.com
All calendar events are subject to change.
Please check event websites for the latest information.
6 SPECIALTY FABRICS REVIEW / September 2022

http://marine.textiles.org/marineworkshops http://www.ifaiexpo.com http://marine.textiles.org/marineworkshops http://www.textiles.org/utac http://www.textiles.org/tentconference http://www.SpecialtyFabricsReview.com http://www.necpa.org http://www.textiles.org/marineconference http://www.geosyntheticsconference.com

Specialty Fabrics Review September 2022

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