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Daman Manifolds CEO Larry Davis on the challenges in finding qualified people to hire for the small business.
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Relentless.
-- with the highest state unemployment rate you'd assume jobs were hard to come by in Indiana.
Not the case in fact many businesses are hiring there.
There's a growing problem many small business owners are facing here with the story Larry Davis CEO -- Damon manifold to manufacturing company.
In the town of Mishawaka Indiana.
Larry welcome to the show great to have you here tell us about your company and what you DO.
First off that.
Gerry I'd love to but before that -- to get a say something to my daughter who and and son and lofty Nicole we're about to give us our first grand baby.
-- congratulations to you on that.
Think you can and -- -- answer your question.
Damon products was founded in 1976 -- my father.
In about five years ago he sold the business.
But throughout that period since 1976.
I've been in the position to hire people.
And they the the complaint.
And it's there was a complaint until about 1997.
Was that if schools would just high schools if they're just teach kids how to read write to refer -- And still a little bit of work ethic.
When we would take it from there.
In 1997 we started a process called lean thinking lean manufacturing.
And it has evolved over the last fifteen years into culture of continuous improvement.
-- or limit our let me kick it talking it just a little bit about you know yep continuous improvement.
At your plants and -- you're doing everything you can hot due to hire people.
These jobs though they require some expertise I mean you have to be pretty Smart to do these jobs right.
Well I.
How about Smart but certainly educated -- Few weeks.
Its.
-- in this interview as a result of the CNN article that hit the area hit the web on on Wednesday.
And what what I think captured a lot of people's -- -- the fact that we go through a hundred applications to -- two.
That we think will work for us in in our good fit for them as well.
And of those two.
We keep about 70% of those people so it's a laborious process it's time consuming for us it is also time consuming for the people that are applying.
But that's what we're faced with there is to say.
And a dramatic shortage of educated people.
That are available to work the people who were looking forward to values -- the character and the education are employed.
I am and what I'm saying once they view as universal is across the country.
It's not specific to some stuff specific to -- area it's -- exacerbated by the fact that Indiana is a hotbed of activity.
But it's it's a decade.
Problem but you just can't find the people you need to put into those all important jobs in as I understand -- -- -- looking for people tonight.
To go to work in your facility right.
Sure -- -- -- adding on -- building.
We're looking to hire about ten people.
But if you play the numbers -- that means we'll probably have to hire thirty to keep ten.
Well well at Larry thanks for coming on tonight appreciate your story it's amazing.
And it at a time when we have so many people unemployed in this country.
You can't find people with.
Adequate talent and experience and dedication.
To fill these jobs best of luck yet here daughter thank you very much is it -- bit in -- I -- thank you for highlighting the problem it it's a it's a significant one.
Absolute label thank you for coming on I appreciate it.
You're welcome.
