Craft Skills and Knowledge

One might ask, "Is experience a good teacher?" We find that many people incorrectly believe that experience is a good teacher. Reality is that experience delivers the result before the lesson. Furthermore, was the lesson learned the correct one? Many times, the lesson is often a product of "tribal knowledge." Recently, we hosted a bearings class where craft workers had passed down the "proper bearing installation procedures" to new apprentices. As a great example of the tribal knowledge experience, these workers heated roller bearings with a Oxy-Acetylene cutting torch and hammered them on a shaft with a brass punch.

Between 2010 and 2025, the baby boomers will be eligible to retire at an astounding 365 per hour, potentially removing 79 million people from the workforce we have today. We will replace these numbers with a mere 40 million of which only 20% have the skills required for today’s knowledge-based environment. Are you already experiencing the inability to find qualified talent to staff the craft worker positions that you have vacant? What are you doing to recruit, train, and retain these workers?

At People and Processes, we can help you determine the craft skills and knowledge required for success in your organization. In addition, we help you develop apprenticeship and other development programs to educate and retain your workforce.