Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/484021
w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m March 2015 • /INSIGHT ON MANUFACTURING | 19 a new challenge, Franz says. It also comes at a time when many industries are seeing a spike in demand for IT talent. The issue emerged for the first time in the 2015 CEO Challenges survey conducted on behalf of Nicolet Bank, which included CEOs in manufacturing and other industries. For Rustin Keller, executive vice president and chief operating officer for J.J. Keller & Associates, it's a sign of how prevalent technology has become in just about every facet of production. "All of our product lines and processes have an IT component to them now," says Keller. "Instead of an IT department, we now have IT skills throughout every department." What used to be a group of four to five people concentrated on the IT needs of the business office has grown to 20 staffers spread throughout the company's multiple divisions. In addition to specific IT staff, other employees must also be comfortable using technology- based tools to accomplish their work. With demand growing, and the regional supply of talent short, Keller has joined several regional efforts such as the Oshkosh-based Amplify or the IT Alliance to not only grow more talent, but market the region as a place where IT professionals can have a varied and successful career. "There are firms that are coming up here and recruiting IT talent in the area at the same time we have a thin supply," Keller says. "We need to let them know this is an area IT talent can succeed." It's a challenge not lost on Jeff Lang, whose firm provides IT staffing and custom solutions for a wide range of companies in Wisconsin, including manufacturing firms. What he sees is a sector being squeezed by both demographics and automation. "The manufacturing that is coming back is the higher-tech, value-added manufacturing," says Lang, president and CEO of Omni Resources. "They have automated just about every process they can, plus these systems are producing volumes of data they need to harness so they can have insights into how they run their business." Not only does this type of manufacturing require workers on the floor to be comfortable using automated processes and tools, it also requires a ready supply of talented IT professionals who understand the unique career opportunities manufacturing can provide. Lang is a member of the IT task force working to identify the IT needs of the New North, as well as market the area as a destination where IT professionals can experience a varied and rewarding career. He also advocates for increased IT and STEM training in schools and technical colleges. Only by increasing the supply "All of our product lines and processes have an IT component to them now. Instead of an IT department, we now have IT skills throughout every department." – Rustin Keller, executive vice president and chief operating officer, J. J. Keller & Associates of IT talent on multiple fronts will the region avoid a critical shortage that stalls productions, or prompts companies to move elsewhere, he says. Given the array of opportunities within the IT sector, it's also a great opportunity for those looking to change careers. "I'm not sure everyone understands the unique opportunities here in a lot of sectors — we have everything from airplanes to ships," Lang says. "There are great opportunities right here and you don't have to leave." Those opportunities made a lot of sense to Pennsylvania-based Global Data Consultants, which in 2014 opened offices in the Fox Valley. With historical ties to supporting the manufacturing sector, the move to the New North region made sense, says Kyle Courtney, the company's business development manager. While the company sees opportunities to help the region's manufacturers, they also see a need to replenish the supply of IT talent for the region. The challenges are many, but changing the image IT professionals may have of manufacturing is a good start. "A lot of students with an IT focus don't think of manufacturing as leading edge, which is where they want to work," Courtney says. Ironically, the manufacturing sector is where many IT professionals will find both cutting- edge opportunities and rewarding salaries, says Nick Dondlinger, Midwest area manager for GDC, who works with many of the company's manufacturing clients. The average hourly wage for an IT professional in manufacturing is $31.23, or about $65,000 a year, according to NEWMA. "There are really some great opportunities," Dondlinger says. "Guys who want to bolster their career will see manufacturing as a way to make a mark."