If you’ve ever asked a hiring manager about how their search for talent is going, it seems you’ll often hear “You can’t find any more good help these days”. If you ask around in 2023, that statement is as true as it’s ever been. CSR is continually looking to add more fantastic technicians to an already fantastic team, but it seems that qualified applicants are few and far between. After a bit of research, it became apparent that CSR isn’t the only one dealing with the shortage. The lack of specialists in the trades has even led to events like a workshop at the 2023 International Institute for Ammonia Refrigeration convention on dealing with the technician shortage. This has left many contractors and end users wondering, what is happening and what do we do now?
I’m sure by now most people know that the baby boomers are retiring and leaving a gap in the workforce that is unprecedented. Not only are we losing a large number of workers but also in many cases the workforce is losing talented trades workers with decades of job experience at their facility. The loss of many older workers, who have a wealth of knowledge in refrigeration and their facilities, is leaving behind some shoes that are hard to fill. The same is true for refrigeration installers and service techs, many that know customers’ facilities as well or better than anyone else.
Unfortunately, the number of technicians leaving the workforce has outpaced those joining it. Many feel the emphasis on traditional 4-year schools has de-emphasized the opportunity for finding lucrative employment in the trades, particularly in our case, the refrigeration industry. This has led many employers, CSR included, to become particularly active in recruiting new employees. Referral bonuses, attending career fairs, and making sure to have easy online applications are great ways to help drive up numbers. It is also vitally important to invest in training. Having a new generation soak up as much information as possible from the old guard is vital to passing on decades of know-how and industry intelligence. More than ever employers must be willing to help train up new individuals with the desire to learn and the willingness to get their hands dirty. All these initiatives of course go hand in hand with making sure employees are fairly compensated for the competitive workforce. It is also vital that employers don’t ask too much of existing employees, as overworked and burned-out employees is not a recipe for success. Asking employees to pitch in and cover unexpected high work volumes comes with the territory, but it should be temporary, not the norm.
If you work at a facility that could use some help due to a technician shortage, CSR has a fantastic team of technicians that can help perform routine preventative maintenance to minimize downtimes. Or if you need help performing service tasks that a smaller team may not have the day to day time for, please give us a call! Likewise, if you are an existing or prospective tech looking to start a new career or a change of scenery, please apply on our website( https://carlsonstewart.com/careers/ ). As we are well aware, you can never have too much good help!