Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/819981
May 2017 • The PCB Magazine 57 the job, outside of our HR department. In HR, we administer new hire processes, like orienta- tion—things like becoming familiar with the company and procedures. We also have a tu- ition reimbursement program that we encour- age our employees to participate in. We have funds available if there's a program someone is interested in pursuing. We see people through- out the company pursuing anything from a certificate or an associate's degree up to a mas- ter's or PhD-level training. At any given time, we have 10 to 15 people pursuing a degree pro- gram. Miller: Certainly, it is an attractive benefit. Goldman: Can they pursue any subject or must it be science-related? Brennan: We support almost any program, at varying levels. If I am in engineering, and I have a bachelor's, and I want to pursue my mas- ter's in electrical engineering or mechanical or whatever it might be, the company will gener- ally support that 100%. If I want to become a teacher I still might get support, but it's not go- ing to be the same level. Goldman: No, or if you want to go into history, I suppose. Brennan: Right. From the top down, we support education in all respects that we can. Education is frequently part of our strict requirements for hiring. It's very important to us that someone is coming to us with what we con- sider to be a necessary or appro- priate educational background, but we also want to support it on the other side, if you want to pur- sue more and continue to grow as well. Goldman: That's good. I've heard that before that Dr. C is very big on education and quite supportive. I'd like to know how it has been lately. You have positions open now that you're hoping to fill. Are you finding people? We hear this a lot in the industry, that it's very difficult to get peo- ple these days. Younger people don't look on man- ufacturing as something they're interested in, or else they just don't know about it. With printed cir- cuit boards, everybody knows what they are these days, but most people don't know you can actual- ly work in that field. I presume there is a local tech- nical school here where people can learn CNC pro- gramming? Miller: Yes, I believe there are a couple. There's also the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) which, interestingly enough, seems to turn out some people with appropriate skills. Brennan: There is also the Pittsburgh Technical College. Goldman: Do you go to those technical institutes to recruit? Miller: We've tried a variety of strategies. In fact, very recently we have returned to some grass- roots efforts, even posting in grocery stores, putting signs on the bulletin boards. Just trying to capture the people that aren't necessarily on Monster and Indeed. Fortunately, our reputa- tion for being an excellent place to work helps. Goldman: Right. And I know there's not a lot of advertising for jobs anymore in newspapers, and the younger folks don't read them anyhow. Miller: I can't tell you if we've found anybody using those methods, but it's another way to get the word out. Goldman: I suppose you must have a referral system with your own em- ployees. Brennan: We do, and that's been fairly successful. We see a decent number of employee referrals. We have a referral program for every position we have open. There is a dollar amount attached that an employee could receive if they re- fer someone who is hired success- fully. Six months down the road, Dr. Giorgio Coraluppi HOW TO FIND—AND RETAIN—THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR THE RIGHT JOBS