< PreviousSPE’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL ISSUE It’s rare for an organization to celebrate 80 years of continual operation. SPE has done so in step with the post-World War II growth of the plastics industry. Both entities have worked closely together since 1942, when SPE was founded, and will continue their special relationship. For this issue, Plastics Engineering focuses on issues and topics that will have an impact on much of the industry during the next decade. Any longer-term prognostication is more of a guessing game than a legitimate look at likely developments. After all, things change rapidly in the world and the industry. At SPE’s 75th anniversary in 2017, did anyone predict the extent of plastic bag bans that now exist, or the demand that producers accept extended responsibility for the proper disposal of their retail plastics products or the COVID-19 pandemic? Our topics include workforce development—a growing issue at all levels of the industry; the impact of STEM and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in bringing underrepresented people (and future workers) into the industry; and a look at what leading designers predict for products. We look at processes that will broaden the use of plastics in high-growth markets. And we include profiles of some of the oldest active members in SPE and some of the youngest. We hope you find this issue interesting, informative and well worth your time to read. Workforce Development .................................. 10 STEM/DEI Programs ......................................... 18 Digital Twin Design ........................................... 22 Designer Predictions ......................................... 24 Metal AM .......................................................... 32 Thermoplastic Composites ............................... 36 Glenn Beall’s Indelible Legacy ...........................38 Sal Monte Champions Change.......................... 42 Len Czuba Guides a Young Member ................. 48 SPE Is a Family Affair ......................................... 52 CONTENTS 8 | PLASTICS ENGINEERING | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | www.plasticsengineering.orgThe Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE ® ) is announcing a “Call for Nominations” for its 51 st -annual Automotive Innovation Awards Gala, the oldest and largest recognition event in the automotive and plastics industries. This year’s Awards Gala will be held Wednesday, NOVEMBER 2, 2022 at the Burton Manor in Livonia, Mich. Winning part nominations (due by September, 7, 2022) in 11 different categories, and the teams that developed them, will be honored with a Most Innovative Use of Plastics award. A Grand Award will be presented to the winning team from all category award winners. A special category has been added for the 51 st -annual Automotive Innovation Awards: EV and AV Systems, to recognize innovative polymer components for Electric and Autonomous Vehicles. SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES This annual event currently draws over 800 OEM engineers, automotive and plastics industry executives, and media. A variety of sponsorship packages - including tables at the banquet, networking receptions, advertising in the program book, signage at the event and more are available. Contact Teri Chouinard of Intuit Group at teri@intuitgroup.com. For more info and to submit nominations, go to: www.speautomotive.com/innovation-awards-gala CALL FOR NOMINATIONS MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF PLASTICS AWARDS LIMITED EDITION/ SPECIALTY VEHICLES AND AFTERMARKET ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING BODY EXTERIOR BODY INTERIOR CHASSIS/HARDWARE ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS PROCESS, ASSEMBLY & ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES POWERTRAIN SAFETY EV AND AV SYSTEMS 2021 SPONSORS MAIN RECEPTION SPONSOR VIP RECEPTION & AFTERGLOW SPONSOR GOLD SPONSORS ADVERTISING SPONSOR MEDIA/ASSOCIATION SPONSORS WINE & FLOWERS SPONSOR SILVER SPONSOR BRONZE SPONSORS PARTS DISPLAY SPONSORO f all the investments that companies make to grow their businesses and prosper, the most important is the people they hire, especially when confronted with labor shortages, loss of institutional memory through retirements or a dearth of qualified candidates. If companies develop the ability to recruit young workers, as well as seasoned workers from a range of backgrounds, and give them ample support and opportunities to grow in a job, research shows that the returns on investment will be significant and long-lasting. This article looks at several initiatives that are underway which will become more important in the next decade to resolve the shortage of employees. The initiatives include apprenticeship programs, adjusting university-level science and engineering courses to the learning needs of students and recruiting nontraditional workers. These efforts also mirror changes that are taking place on an almost daily basis in what Boston Consulting Group and Emsi Burning Glass term the “basic building blocks of a job …” Chief among these changes is that “the role [of a job] looks much different than it did just five years ago,” report the authors of a joint study, even “as the job title—and the worker in the job—may remain the same.” So, according to this report, while companies work diligently to find and retain workers, it’s equally important to train current and new hires with an eye on the rapid changes taking place in job responsibilities and qualifications. The report, “Shifting Skills, Moving Targets and Reading the Workforce,” was released this year. It analyzes workforce changes from 2016 to 2021—before COVID and during the pandemic. “Company leaders may not realize how profoundly and rapidly the jobs throughout their business and industry are evolving,” the study’s authors note. “A comprehensive look at job listings from 2016 through 2021 reveals significant changes in requested skills, with new skills appearing, some existing skills disappearing and other existing skills shifting in importance. “The challenge for employers and employees alike is to keep up—or, better yet, to get ahead of the trends,” the authors advise. The study looked at skills that employers requested in job postings each year and compared them with those sought for the same occupation in 2016. As the authors explain, “First, we looked at the skills that were completely new to jobs—the ones that employers didn’t ask for at all in 2016. Then, Labor shortages can be overcome with apprenticeship programs and by hiring untapped talent SHAPING BY NANCY D. LAMONTAGNE AND PAT TOENSMEIER Work responsibilities are changing with increasing frequency even though job titles and people remain the same. Courtesy of Bekum America 10 | PLASTICS ENGINEERING | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | www.plasticsengineering.orgwe looked at whether skills became more or less important to a role. Were they requested more or less frequently as time went on?” Their finding is that “the pace of change has accelerated such that jobs are more disrupted today than ever before: we consider this period … to be the Great Disruption, a workforce phenomenon that demands swift and thoughtful action by employers and other stakeholders,” the authors write. “Leaders and decision makers need to understand what skills their organization needs and how to access them.” Even though the study didn’t include plastics manufacturing, its conclusions are still relevant. The requirements for machine operators, technicians, quality control engineers and many other jobs have changed significantly from 2016 through 2021, as processors, compounders and others embraced Industry 4.0 technologies, greater automation, new or upgraded materials, and adopted different techniques for operations, real-time data management and plant-wide control, among other areas. There are many ways to approach the current worker shortage. At the same time, managers need to factor the rapidly changing skill requirements of jobs into their hiring calculations, to recruit and train the quality workers who are needed now and in coming years. The following reports examine some ways of promoting workforce development. APPRENTICESHIPS TACKLE SKILLS GAP Plastics companies in the U.S. are looking for ways of dealing with an aging workforce. As more employees retire, they leave critical knowledge gaps and an increasing demand for younger, skilled workers at a time when it is difficult to find employees. Innovative apprenticeship programs—long a feature in Europe and Asia—are helping to fill this need by providing a structured way for workers to learn the information and skills needed for specific jobs. Examples include the Pennsylvania-based Plastics Process Technician Apprenticeship Program (PPTAP), a collaboration between the American Injection Molding Institute (AIM) of Erie, Pa., Clarion University and the Keystone Community Education Council. The state-registered apprenticeship program, offered since 2018, combines over 340 hours of classroom and hands-on learning with 4,000 hours of on-the-job training in injection molding. Participants must be working at least part-time for a company in Pennsylvania and be selected by their employer for the program. AIM teaches courses in materials, mold design and injection molding (see also June Plastics Engineering, p. 14). Clarion University provides courses such as team building, maintenance and quality. As participants progress through the PPTAP, they receive more responsibilities and pay raises. This helps them view the work as a career opportunity rather than a job, and, as a result, they are more likely to stay in injection molding and with the company that provided the apprenticeship. Old School Program In the mid-1990s, machine maker Bekum America Corp., Williamston, Mich., had a critical need for skilled workers who could build machinery. Martin Stark, then president and CEO, worked with Lansing (Michigan) Community College to develop a four-year, 8,000-hour apprenticeship that emulated a German apprenticeship program by combining hands-on learning with formal education. Stark, a member of the Plastics Hall of Fame, had himself graduated from an apprenticeship program in Germany in the 1950s. He was quoted as saying: “The apprenticeship program is the best alternative to going to college. If these people [in the program] stick with it for three or four years, they have a trade and are valued.” “Employees who complete the program end up with a fantastic skill set and are well rounded in several disciplines,” says Steve London, who is now the company’s president and COO, but who started at Bekum America more than 30 years ago as a controls design engineer. “They finish at a journeyman’s level in their selected discipline of electrical, machining, fabrication, machine building or mechatronics. We also find that the apprentices who graduate are dedicated employees.” The apprenticeship program participants, who can be as young as juniors in high school, are selected through an interview process that involves former graduates of the program and department heads. Students in the program take classes in the afternoons or evenings while working side-by- side with mentors in the plant to apply what they learn in the classroom. A key component of the program’s success has been the relationship between Bekum and Lansing Community College. “They worked with us to coordinate which courses would fit our program, and we made sure that our program took advantage of what they offered,” says London. Reaping Benefits The program has been a success, with more than 25 percent of the company’s manufacturing workforce comprised of graduate apprentices. Three graduates have moved into managerial positions that include machine assembly, service support and apprentice instructor. In terms of lessons learned, London points out the importance of listening carefully when working with young students and providing guidance and coaching along the way. “Some of them are clearly drawn to this work and are naturals at it while it might not be the best choice for others, and we’re honest with them about that,” he says. “For those who find it a good fit, our goal is for them to succeed in the program while holding them to a high standard.” London says that he and the company are open to sharing coursework, guidelines and approaches as well as successes and challenges with other companies interested in starting similar programs. “Although this type of program requires an intense long-term commitment on our part, the rewards far outweigh the costs,” he notes. CLASSROOM CHALLENGES Students majoring in sciences and engineering used to expect intense classroom teaching and lengthy laboratory sessions as part of their curricula. Not so today. Many now pursue such majors expecting “quick learning” experiences that replace the challenges of deductive learning and long hours in labs. The potential long-term effects of this could create fallout in some areas of plastics. Companies ranging from resin producers to recyclers, product developers and Ashley Carr was hired as Bekum’s first female apprentice, specializing in mechatronics. Courtesy of Bekum America www.plasticsengineering.org | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | PLASTICS ENGINEERING | 11processors rely on researchers with advanced degrees to help develop the materials and processes the industry relies on. It’s a problem that affects most colleges and universities including the University of Akron (UA) in Ohio, whose polymer engineering and polymer science programs are internationally recognized for producing high-quality researchers and future industry leaders. Dr. Sadhan Jana holds the B.F. Goodrich Endowed Chair in UA’s College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering and is a professor in the Polymer Engineering Department. He is also editor-in-chief of SPE’s Polymer Engineering and Science Journal and executive editor of all SPE journals. Jana says students bring challenges in how they learn to polymer studies and as a result, in the ways they can most effectively be taught. He and his colleagues are learning how to maintain UA’s high standards in polymer studies, while acknowledging students’ needs. Thus far, this has been confined to master’s and doctoral degree candidates. However, the university was recently certified to begin offering undergraduate degrees in polymer studies starting this fall. This will likely bring more students to classes with similarly challenging ways of learning and of being taught. ‘Readymade’ Learning “The learning process has changed considerably over the last 10 years or so,” Jana notes. “Undergraduate and graduate students alike look for readymade information that can be easily plucked from readily available sources, such as the internet. The days are gone when graduate students routinely accessed multiple books and research monographs and publications to supplement information provided in lecture materials. This shift in the learning process was challenging for a majority of instructors, as deductive teaching slowly gave way to visual teaching. Content takes a back seat to the urge of keeping students engaged by visual means, at times compromising rigor.” Among the changes that Jana and his colleagues see with many students is a desire for “quick learning,” an approach to instruction, experiments and research that would seem to be at odds with the need to learn the proper approach to scientific pursuits. Can quick learning be reconciled with the time and effort required for lab experiments and related pursuits? “The quick learning strategy invites a vice named shortcuts,” Jana remarks. “The hypotheses- driven deductive research work, however, is impossible to conduct using methods that rely on shortcuts instead of deep and thorough learning. This becomes more apparent when visual learners face deductive research problems, often leading to a loss of motivation and causing retention issues.” Fortunately, he adds, “This issue is circumvented by conscientious instructors who maintain a good balance of deductive and visual content.” Nevertheless, the “visual learners in classes … often ask if the course materials are at all relevant to their research needs instead of appreciating the utility of the content for building a strong foundation that advances understanding of research problems. This mindset poses another challenge for instructors. They must now invoke practical examples in course materials to keep the visual learners motivated. It is true that the advent of the internet, especially the ready availability of videos at YouTube and other providers, helps in teaching some of the difficult concepts. However, the foundational courses in polymer science and engineering remain mostly deductive,” he notes, “and these should be taught using deductive methods with an occasional mix of visual tools, such as animation.” Not surprisingly, Jana believes that the next decade “will be even more challenging due to the shift in learning style. More students will come to classes less prepared in mathematical analysis and physics. There is only so much that instructors can do to ‘walk’ these visual learners along the path of fundamental knowledge.” For now, Jana says that he and his colleagues are making necessary adjustments to their teaching styles, with an eye on addressing students’ needs while maintaining the focus and rigor of conventional teaching methods. “My colleagues invoke practical applications to convey the utility of the concepts and routinely use video of laboratory experiments to illustrate the concepts. Beginning instructors at times may struggle, but they receive effective mentoring from experienced teachers at the Institute for Teaching and Learning at UA and in their respective academic units,” he explains. One obvious question that emerges from this concerns the ability of undergraduate and even graduate students to acquire the patience and discipline necessary to become good scientists and researchers, as well as how these new learning trends might affect the quality of degrees from UA. Maintaining Standards Jana says that UA’s learning environment is adapting to the expectations of many students, while maintaining its tradition of academic excellence. “Yes, we are concerned with the quality of students coming to UA, but we are also trying our best to deliver course materials in the most effective way so that the quality of our graduates remains well above an acceptable threshold,” he remarks. “We routinely solicit input from employers using anonymous surveys and make curricular adjustments to mitigate the gaps in learning outcomes.” Plastics companies, mean- while, have their own cri- teria when looking to hire UA grads, based, no doubt, on the university’s record of producing skilled polymer researchers, scientists and en- gineers. “We have been best known for our signature MS and PhD programs in polymer engineering and in polymer science,” Jana says. “Our MS and PhD graduates conduct thesis research and are highly sought after by employers worldwide. We have close to 100 percent employment of our MS and PhD graduates. The BS program in polymer science and polymer engineering was launched just this year and will benefit from the strong lineage of our graduate programs and the strong backing of employers.” Despite the changes in learning preferences among some students, Jana says, “We strongly believe that our graduate programs will sustain their high ranking among peers and employers.” One area of expertise that plastics companies will be looking for involves the circular economy and sustainability. UA anticipated this and has started preparing graduates for these areas. “We feel our graduates will have already learned the real and perceived values of circular economy by the time they graduate. This is a conscious effort of our academic units to keep abreast of developments and bring new knowledge to the classroom and integrate it in research problems,” Jana says. “Our courses, and more so the research topics, address many elements.” Despite the challenges that emerge in teaching many students, and in meeting their expectations as much as possible, UA graduates who successfully complete degree studies can expect job offers upon graduation. “Approximately 90 percent of our graduates join the plastics industry, the rest take academic jobs and research positions at national laboratories,” Dr. Sadhan Jana and colleagues at the University of Akron adjust some of their teaching in polymer sciences and engineering to meet the “quick- learning” needs of many students. Courtesy of Sadhan Jana 12 | PLASTICS ENGINEERING | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | www.plasticsengineering.orgThe 1 st -Annual SPE Automotive Plastics in Electric & Autonomous Vehicles Conference was a huge success! Held at the Detroit Marriott Troy, in Troy, MI USA, the event drew more than 600 attendees from all facets of the automotive industry. Session topics included: Battery & Thermal Management System; Material Innovations; Sustainability, Recycling & Carbon Neutrality; Noise, Vibration & Sealing; Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS); Evolution of Interiors; Evolution of Exteriors; and Advanced Manufacturing. Also featured were 4 keynote speakers, plenary talks and student participation. PRESENT TO INDUSTRY DECISION MAKERS IN AUTOMOTIVE PLASTICS Be part of the 2 nd -Annual SPE Automotive Plastics in Electric & Autonomous Vehicles Conference and learn how electric and autonomous vehicle development is driving innovative automotive solutions. This event will feature technical presentations, keynote speakers and panel discusions, networking breakfasts, breaks, lunches and receptions, and exhibits that highlight advances in this fast- growing industry. Stayed tuned at EAVConference@speautomotive.com for more information about this coming years event. PRESENTED BY ——————————————– MEDIA / ASSOCIATION SPONSORS ———————————— THANK YOU TO OUR 2022 SPONSORS —— PLATINUM SPONSOR ——– The Materials Group “Your Partner in Plastic Materials” —————— ——– STUDENT POSTER SPONSORS ————— ———– ——— LANYARD SPONSOR ——— ——————————————————————————————––––––––––––————–————– EXHIBITORS ————————–———————————————————–—————————————————— ———————— TOTE BAG SPONSOR —————––— ————————————————————————————————––————––——— ——– GOLD SPONSORS ———————————————————–————————––———————————— ———– tJana remarks. “Our MS and PhD graduates enter the job market at the senior engineer/ scientist positions appropriate for their degrees; a majority of such jobs are in product and process development.” Graduates will still be expected to know their stuff and know it well, no matter how they prefer to be taught. And this applies to new course material. There is nothing static about polymer science and engineering. “Our course curricula have the provisions for core, technical elective, advanced-level technical elective and cross-disciplinary elective courses to cover all aspects of science and engineering of polymers,” Jana explains. “This breakdown of the course curricula gives us latitude in inducting new materials into course work without much delay. Our research projects are always leading edge. The new fundamentals and niche applications emanating from leading-edge research in our laboratories and elsewhere are readily inducted into advanced- level course work to provide exposure to our students.” While Jana and his colleagues are working to meet the expectations of current students, at least as much as possible, his attention is also focused on other areas. One of these is stepped up recruiting of women and students from underrepresented groups. He wants to see more of these individuals enrolled in polymer courses. “There is much room to improve in recruitment of female and underrepresented minority students in our polymer programs. We are currently developing collaborative relationships with minority-serving institutions to address this need,” he says. No matter how challenging teaching may become, Sadhan Jana and colleagues remain firmly in control of the direction, rigors and scholarship that are necessary for students to achieve before granting degrees in polymer science and engineering. The future of the plastics industry at colleges and universities like UA is in good hands, and Jana is committed to keeping Akron relevant, innovative and a necessary place to be if students want to mold their careers with polymers. TAPPING UNTAPPED TALENT POOLS Of the many ways to recruit workers, especially in times of labor shortage, some of the most productive efforts focus on individuals who need high levels of support, encouragement and confidence from employers and co-workers alike. One such group is comprised of the homeless and nonviolent ex-prisoners. Another is the disabled. Both groups offer untapped talents and abilities but can at first be challenging to work with. The payoff, though, as measured in reliability, eagerness to learn new skills and dedication is equal to or in many cases better than with other employees. Rank and file employees aren’t the only ones leaving jobs in record numbers. According to a recent article published by McKinsey & Company (https://www.mckinsey.com/ business-functions/people-and-organizational- performance/our-insights/great-attrition-or- great-attraction-the-choice-is-yours), many managers and leaders are leaving their jobs too, resulting in vacancies in senior-level positions that need to be filled. Data from Visier (https:// www.visier.com/resignation-report/) find that resignation rates among managers increased from 3.8 percent in the first half of 2021 to 5 percent in the first half of 2022. The plastics industry is not immune to the “Great Resignation” and many companies are challenged with finding the right people to fill leadership gaps. For company executives confronted with this challenge, training and capability building for employees is crucial. “We’re losing company leaders right now and, over the next one to three years, we’re going to need people to fill those roles,” said one industry executive who asked not to be identified. “But it isn’t a matter of just moving people up. They need training, especially when it comes to understanding and implementing leadership concepts.” For plastics workers looking to move into leadership positions, this moment represents a huge opportunity. If you’re considering moving into a leadership role, either to manage people or projects, now may be the time. But are you prepared to make the move? Making the shift from successful individual contributor to effective manager is a difficult transition—it may be the hardest shift for any leader to make. SPE can help maximize your leadership potential through its newly launched Essentials of Management & Leadership in Plastics program. SPE’s leadership training program is a six- month, cohort-based, virtual program, with the inaugural session running from October 2022 through March 2023. The program was developed to prepare early to mid-level career professionals to become leaders at their companies and in the plastics industry. Program participants gain knowledge and confidence in live facilitated group training and self-paced learning components each month. No other leadership study program specifically designed for those in the plastics industry exists. The Essentials of Management & Leadership in Plastics program consists of six modules and participants will be provided learning materials as well as study recommended textbooks and resources. Participants will have access to online group training hosted through the Zoom platform and participate in one-to-one coaching sessions also hosted through Zoom. In addition, there will be peer-sharing sessions and a plastics mentor may also present directly to the cohort. The program’s leadership topics include: » Strengths-based Leadership » Strategic Thinking & Planning » Organizational Culture » Innovation and Creativity » Basic Financial Literacy » Leader Awareness and Boundaries Participants are expected to dedicate the time necessary to complete applicable readings and assignments. They are also expected to participate in the live virtual sessions for each module. By participating in the program, learners commit to four hours of synchronous interactions each month as well as 12 to 16 hours of asynchronous work (for example, engaging self-paced learning components, training materials or provided exercises). In total, learners invest 16 to 20 hours of their time per module for a total of 96 to 120 hours to complete the program. While the program prepares industry professionals for leadership roles, participants who complete the coursework will receive a digital credential and be prepared to: » Demonstrate a leader’s approach to volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments » Participate in the strategic planning process for a business » Display a leader’s mindset when working with cross-functional teams » Express a basic understanding of financial principles in business meetings » Share digital credentials on social media platforms such as LinkedIn Introductory costs ($1,950 for SPE members and $2,250 for non-members) for the first cohort are available, with fees increasing in the future. Bottom line? There’s no better time than now to take the first step toward becoming an effective leader in the plastics industry. But the first step to participating is by submitting an application. Applications will be reviewed and, if accepted to the program, applicants will be provided registration information, as well as participation steps and instructions. To apply, go to www.4spe.org/CertApply. LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TRAINS WORKERS FOR MANAGEMENT ROLES 14 | PLASTICS ENGINEERING | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | www.plasticsengineering.org2022 Complementary and Comprehensive InfoDays Thermal Analysis and Material Characterization Trainings InfoDay Trainings, led by METTLER TOLEDO thermal analysis and material characterization specialists, are organized to help educate users of all skill levels on the important considerations required to make accurate Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements. These trainings will cover sample preparation, curve interpretation, calibration and other practical aspects of DSC measurements. A discussion and Q&A session will allow participants to dive deeper into any questions they may have. All interested scientists are encouraged to attend; meals will be provided and training certificates will be available upon request. Learn more and register for an event in your area by visiting www.mt.com/na-2022-infodays JulyAug SeptOct 7/14 Chicago, IL 7/19 Indianapolis, IN 8/4 New Haven, CT 8/11 Huntsville, AL 8/18 Detroit, MI 9/1 San Jose, CA 9/22 Seattle, WA 10/6 Houston, TXSPE’s annual ANTEC resumed live presentations in 2022 after two virtual events forced upon the Society by the pandemic. Among the keynote speakers on opening day were two with broad experience in developing talent from groups of people who are often overlooked as viable job candidates. The first speaker, Lloyd Martin, senior vice president of operations at CKS Packaging of Atlanta, discussed the company’s “Second Chance Program” that gives the homeless and nonviolent ex-cons work opportunities in its 26 manufacturing sites. These workers now account for over 10 percent of the company’s 3,000-plus workforce. The next speaker, James Emmett, advocated hiring the disabled, explaining that they perform as well as, and in some cases better than, other workers. His business, James Emmett& Co. of Monticello, Ind., advises executives on the benefits of recruiting from this “alternative workforce” and helps them develop disability inclusion programs and training. Martin and Emmettprovided insight on the benefits companies gain when tapping into this largely overlooked pool of workers. The commitment to recruit and train the homeless and ex-cons as workers is demanding and companies need to be open minded when dealing with them, Martin said. “You need to care less about what someone did and more about what they will do.” The best way to work with them is by diligently building relationships and understanding that there are bound to be differences in how they see the world and interpret opportunities. “How long does it take to make a friend you can trust?” Martin asked. “That’s the point of this— you need to reach out to these people and give them support. There is a tremendous talent pool here. This is a moral case and a business case.” CKS has a lot at stake in developing a pool of talent for its operations. The demand for good workers is always high. And the company is on track to post sales of $780 million in 2022, Martin said, up from $670 million in 2021. Hiring mistakes can be costly. One aspect of the business that doubtless aids its outreach program to disenfranchised individuals, is that it is privately owned, and the owners are “very Christian,” he remarked. The company started its Second Chance Program in 2016 by hiring five homeless men and women from an Atlanta shelter, three of whom still work for CKS. By the end of 2016, more than 100 “sustained employees,” as CKS calls them, had been hired across the company. Not all lasted, but CKS never abandoned the idea of giving the down and out a chance for steady jobs. By 2019 the company had 185 sustained employees on its roles, and this year there are over 322. Many people hired through the program have risen to positions of responsibility: plant inspectors, utility workers, plant managers, warehouse managers, production managers, quality control technicians, mechanics and machine operators. Martin said that acclimating these hires to the workday world requires understanding their problems and being supportive. Importantly, companies need to develop programs that emphasize training for a career, and not just a job. “Start small,” he advised, “engage with other companies with second chance programs and understand the system of reentry, reintegration and recidivism” that new hires face. As an example, he cited one homeless person who was hired but almost immediately stopped going to work. His supervisor was ready to fire him until Martin himself checked up on the person and learned that he had been sick, had no phone to call the company and was planning on telling his supervisor in person once he felt better. The person kept his job and Martin explained to him the importance of staying in touch with an employer. Sometimes, companies need to adjust operations to accommodate these workers, almost all of whom deal with daily problems that co-workers may not share. CKS plants, for example, had a point system that penalized workers who showed up late. “We got rid of the points and started asking questions about why a person was late,” he remarked. Many of the sustained employees had no transportation of their own or ready access to public transit. Some CKS plants thereafter hired vans to pick up these and other employees needing transportation to and from work. “If we want to get and sustain the labor,” Martin said, “we have to be better leaders.” He explained that nationwide 1,042,000 people are incarcerated in state prisons, 208,000 in federal prisons and jails, and 547,000 in local jails. That’s almost 1.8 million people, many of whom committed nonviolent offenses. More than 40,000 are released every year, a number that represents an “overlooked talent pipeline.” Martin advocates similar outreach efforts for all companies. “I encourage you to put together a second chance program,” he told the ANTEC audience, “because there are untapped skills there.” Reliable and Punctual Emmettsaid 48 percent of disabled workers achieve greater job tenure than co-workers; 90 percent perform equally as well or better than others; and disabled workers on average have 34 percent fewer safety incidents than co- workers. The reason for this last? The disabled tend to pay closer attention to manufacturing rules. Emmettexplained that companies win in several ways by hiring the disabled. They gain access to a pool of dedicated—and sometimes qualified—candidates; save on recruitment and training costs; and fulfill social responsibilities to local communities. Importantly, companies can tap into a national network of organizations that work on behalf of the disabled and which can help in the referral and recruitment of people. Governments at state and federal levels offer incentives to invest in programs to hire the disabled. And organizations like Emmett’s can assist in developing programs and services that help integrate the disabled into a workforce. He pointed out that only 17 percent of the disabled in the U.S. are born with their disability; 83 percent acquire disabilities in later life. Most disabilities, moreover, are invisible like autism. Only 29 percent have visible disabilities. Emmettsaid that for companies to be successful in recruiting and working with disabled workers, they need: » A visible champion in the organization to oversee a program. » Buy-in from company leaders at multiple levels. » A focus on the business benefits of hiring disabled workers. » And holding all workers to the same level of expectations. Most of all, there needs to be clear messaging of the program to everyone. Be loud and proud, he advised. Emmettopened his remarks by asking: “What’s the No. 1 thing companies want?” when it comes to employment. The answer, many in the audience responded, was “someone who shows up.” 16 | PLASTICS ENGINEERING | JULY/AUGUST 2022 | www.plasticsengineering.orgwww.domochemicals.com TECHNYL ® is now a DOMO brand Joining hands, minds and hearts to make things work. With TECHNYL®@DOMO new opportunities for collaboration arise that bind us, our customers and partners into one big team, together driving innovation and building an enhanced polyamide future. Discover our enhanced portfolio of PA6 and PA66-based compounds for mobility, urbanization, lifestyle, health and well-being.Next >