Wanted: skilled workers

Sunday, May 11, 2008

By KAIJA WILKINSON

Business Reporter

With order books filled to bursting and hundreds of vacant positions to fill, local shipyards are using innovative recruiting techniques from outreach in competing markets to using ex-convicts to build the skilled workforce they need.

For example, Pascagoula's Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in recent weeks sent glossy mailers to Bath, Maine, in hopes that some of the shipbuilders from Bath Iron Works might consider life as a Gulf Coast shipbuilder. Unlike the Pascagoula yard, which is scrambling to find workers needed to fix botched work on a warship among other major projects, the Bath yard is downsizing, which makes that market ripe for raiding. Northrop blamed its problems with the helicopter carrier Makin Island in large part on the untrained labor it was forced to hire in the wake of 2005's Hurri cane Katrina.

Meanwhile, Atlantic Marine Holding Co. reports its prisoner work-release program has far exceeded expectations since a launch last year. Atlantic also re cruits across the country, typically "in areas where the economies have begun to sag and the workers will be looking for jobs," said spokesman Herschel Vinyard.

While shipbuilders in targeted markets might consider such tactics invasive, it's simply the "price of doing business in a tough environment," said Washington, D.C.-based Navy analyst Jay Korman.

The local hiring environment is indeed tough. The unemployment rate is low 4.1 percent in Mobile County according to the latest figures. And the Mobile area's three largest shipyards Atlantic, Bender and Austal are projected to need 1,800 new workers in the next two years, according to the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

Korman said that nationwide, the tug-of-war for workers has been particularly fierce in the ship electronics field. He reports cases in which combat systems integrators people who put the electronics on the ships have tried to steal competitors' employees by slowly driving around a competitor's facility in trucks bearing giant billboards designed to lure away those workers.

Local yards said they haven't seen such tactics.

Northrop: colorful mailers

But Bill Glenn, Northrop Shipbuilding spokesman, said in addition to Maine, the company has sent mailers to Texas and Florida "because they have a competitive labor wage market with the Gulf Coast, a higher level of unemployment, and residents who have the skills needed to build ships."

The glossy, colorful mailers tell recipients that first-class journeymen can earn up to $43,675 per year, plus benefits, and that people with certain skills may qualify for up to $10,000 in relocation expenses.

Northrop's Pascagoula yard has about 11,300 employees, about 20 percent of whom come from south Alabama.

Atlantic needs 450

Fueled by significant new work building vessels to be used by the oil and gas industry, Atlantic Marine's Mobile operation needs to add 450 employees to its current 700 people by the end of the year, Vinyard said.

Atlantic is building the hull and performing final assembly on three petroleum tankers for AHL Shipping Co., which will in turn charter the vessels to Shell Trading Co. They are significant in that they are the first of their size to be built in the U.S. using the modular construction concept where different components of the vessels are built at different shipyards.

The new tankers, sched uled for delivery to Shell in 2010, promise to increase the availability of petroleum products throughout the U.S., AHL's President Richard Horner said when the company announced its plans in July.

A ceremonial keel-laying for the first shallow-draft, 49,000-ton vessel was held at Atlantic Marine last week.

Like Northrop, Atlantic recruits across the country, but is also active in area training programs offered through AIDT and Mobile Works.

Atlantic also has an on-site campus where people can earn an associate's degree in industrial management.

Vinyard said he hopes to see expansion in the work-release program, which has 19 people. Program partners Keeton Corrections in Spanish Fort and Mobile Work Release Center in Prichard transport applicants to the site and help facilitate the process, but Atlantic decides who it will hire, Vinyard said.

Bender uses temps

Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co. Inc. uses temporary agencies that recruit all over the country, said Billy Wiik, human resources manager, and in some cases, all over the world. The company has been using foreign workers on temporary work visas since October 2006.

The company has a well-established in-house training program for local candidates that has been a great success, Wiik said. There are now 135 graduates of the monthlong program working at Bender, with about 50 in supervisory or administrative positions.

Austal holds job fairs

Austal, which has seen its workforce balloon to more than 1,100, relies on both onsite and offsite job fairs, as well as looking to area training programs. Lately, however, the company has started to limit its search to specific skills as it waits out a gap in its order book.

Bob Browning, chief executive officer, said the company is bullish about its long-term prospects, and is proceeding with plans to build a $254 million modular manufactur ing facility that company officials have said would drive employment past the 2,000 mark by 2010.

Trinity: chance to poach?

Bill Pfister, Austal's vice president of governmental programs, said that the pause in Austal's order book could "absolutely" make the shipyard ripe for poaching. That could mean opportunity for Gulfport, Miss.-based Trinity Yachts, which needs to add 200 to 300 people to its staff of just over 1,000, said William Smith, vice president of sales and marketing.

Like its colleagues that specialize in military work, Trinity keeps a close eye on market conditions to determine which areas to target.

Trinity said it needs shipfitters, welders, stainless steel fabricators, carpenters, painters, engineers and naval architects, Smith said.

Could the company look to Mobile to recruit? "Absolutely," Smith said. "If we hear of a competitor slowing down we will run ads in the local newspaper."

BILL STARLING/ Staff Photographer

Image no longer available

/cut/4/cPhotos by BILL STARLING/ Staff PhotographerAbove: Welder Joseph Hall works on a work cart assembly Friday at Atlantic Marine Holding Co. in Mobile. The cart will be used to carry sections of ships weighing as much as 200 tons. Mobile area shipyards, scrambling to fill an abundance of orders, are using a variety of recruiting methods to expand their workforces. Atlantic Marine has participated in prison work-release and also targets its recruiting efforts in economically depressed areas. Below: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding used this mailer as part of an effort to attract workers from rival shipyards to its Pascagoula yard.

	Archived file from http://www.al.com/mobileregister/

Wanted: skilled workers Sunday, May 11, 2008 By KAIJA WILKINSON Business Reporter With order books filled to bursting and hundreds of vacant positions to fill, local shipyards are using innovative recruiting techniques from outreach in competing markets to using ex-convicts to build the skilled workforce they need. For example, Pascagoula's Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in recent weeks sent glossy mailers to Bath, Maine, in hopes that some of the shipbuilders from Bath Iron Works might consider life as a Gulf Coast shipbuilder. Unlike the Pascagoula yard, which is scrambling to find workers needed to fix botched work on a warship among other major projects, the Bath yard is downsizing, which makes that market ripe for raiding. Northrop blamed its problems with the helicopter carrier Makin Island in large part on the untrained labor it was forced to hire in the wake of 2005's Hurri cane Katrina. Meanwhile, Atlantic Marine Holding Co. reports its prisoner work-release program has far exceeded expectations since a launch last year. Atlantic also re cruits across the country, typically "in areas where the economies have begun to sag and the workers will be looking for jobs," said spokesman Herschel Vinyard. While shipbuilders in targeted markets might consider such tactics invasive, it's simply the "price of doing business in a tough environment," said Washington, D.C.-based Navy analyst Jay Korman. The local hiring environment is indeed tough. The unemployment rate is low 4.1 percent in Mobile County according to the latest figures. And the Mobile area's three largest shipyards Atlantic, Bender and Austal are projected to need 1,800 new workers in the next two years, according to the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. Korman said that nationwide, the tug-of-war for workers has been particularly fierce in the ship electronics field. He reports cases in which combat systems integrators people who put the electronics on the ships have tried to steal competitors' employees by slowly driving around a competitor's facility in trucks bearing giant billboards designed to lure away those workers. Local yards said they haven't seen such tactics. Northrop: colorful mailers But Bill Glenn, Northrop Shipbuilding spokesman, said in addition to Maine, the company has sent mailers to Texas and Florida "because they have a competitive labor wage market with the Gulf Coast, a higher level of unemployment, and residents who have the skills needed to build ships." The glossy, colorful mailers tell recipients that first-class journeymen can earn up to $43,675 per year, plus benefits, and that people with certain skills may qualify for up to $10,000 in relocation expenses. Northrop's Pascagoula yard has about 11,300 employees, about 20 percent of whom come from south Alabama. Atlantic needs 450 Fueled by significant new work building vessels to be used by the oil and gas industry, Atlantic Marine's Mobile operation needs to add 450 employees to its current 700 people by the end of the year, Vinyard said. Atlantic is building the hull and performing final assembly on three petroleum tankers for AHL Shipping Co., which will in turn charter the vessels to Shell Trading Co. They are significant in that they are the first of their size to be built in the U.S. using the modular construction concept where different components of the vessels are built at different shipyards. The new tankers, sched uled for delivery to Shell in 2010, promise to increase the availability of petroleum products throughout the U.S., AHL's President Richard Horner said when the company announced its plans in July. A ceremonial keel-laying for the first shallow-draft, 49,000-ton vessel was held at Atlantic Marine last week. Like Northrop, Atlantic recruits across the country, but is also active in area training programs offered through AIDT and Mobile Works. Atlantic also has an on-site campus where people can earn an associate's degree in industrial management. Vinyard said he hopes to see expansion in the work-release program, which has 19 people. Program partners Keeton Corrections in Spanish Fort and Mobile Work Release Center in Prichard transport applicants to the site and help facilitate the process, but Atlantic decides who it will hire, Vinyard said. Bender uses temps Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co. Inc. uses temporary agencies that recruit all over the country, said Billy Wiik, human resources manager, and in some cases, all over the world. The company has been using foreign workers on temporary work visas since October 2006. The company has a well-established in-house training program for local candidates that has been a great success, Wiik said. There are now 135 graduates of the monthlong program working at Bender, with about 50 in supervisory or administrative positions. Austal holds job fairs Austal, which has seen its workforce balloon to more than 1,100, relies on both onsite and offsite job fairs, as well as looking to area training programs. Lately, however, the company has started to limit its search to specific skills as it waits out a gap in its order book. Bob Browning, chief executive officer, said the company is bullish about its long-term prospects, and is proceeding with plans to build a $254 million modular manufactur ing facility that company officials have said would drive employment past the 2,000 mark by 2010. Trinity: chance to poach? Bill Pfister, Austal's vice president of governmental programs, said that the pause in Austal's order book could "absolutely" make the shipyard ripe for poaching. That could mean opportunity for Gulfport, Miss.-based Trinity Yachts, which needs to add 200 to 300 people to its staff of just over 1,000, said William Smith, vice president of sales and marketing. Like its colleagues that specialize in military work, Trinity keeps a close eye on market conditions to determine which areas to target. Trinity said it needs shipfitters, welders, stainless steel fabricators, carpenters, painters, engineers and naval architects, Smith said. Could the company look to Mobile to recruit? "Absolutely," Smith said. "If we hear of a competitor slowing down we will run ads in the local newspaper." BILL STARLING/ Staff Photographer Image no longer available /cut/4/cPhotos by BILL STARLING/ Staff PhotographerAbove: Welder Joseph Hall works on a work cart assembly Friday at Atlantic Marine Holding Co. in Mobile. The cart will be used to carry sections of ships weighing as much as 200 tons. Mobile area shipyards, scrambling to fill an abundance of orders, are using a variety of recruiting methods to expand their workforces. Atlantic Marine has participated in prison work-release and also targets its recruiting efforts in economically depressed areas. Below: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding used this mailer as part of an effort to attract workers from rival shipyards to its Pascagoula yard. © 2008 Press-Register © 2008 al.com All Rights Reserved.