AN OVERVIEW OF THE VALVE CAREERS INITIATIVE Helping members find and recruit young workers

HUMAN RESOURCES WORKSHOP Nov. 9-10, 2015 Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA

Presented by Tracy Fairchild, Communications Committee

Chair, and Greg Johnson, Vice Chair

AN INITIATIVE OF THE

IN THE BEGINNING

• Late 2013: VMA Communications Committee discusses proposal from Greg Johnson on how to attract the younger generation to work in our industry

• Committee wholeheartedly endorses plan; VMA member survey confirms need for program – 90% of members have trouble filling jobs at all levels

• VMA Board approves development of and funding for initiative

• VMA Director of Education Judy Tibbs and new Program Coordinator Jessica Bello are designated to carry out program

OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS

• Educate and inform high school and college-aged people about careers in the industrial valve industry

• Help connect VMA/VRC members to the next generation of workers.

• Target audience:

– High school guidance counselors

– Career directors at technical schools and community colleges

– Universities offering both bachelors’ and masters’ degrees

HOW WILL WE ACCOMPLISH THIS?

• Disseminate the Valve Industry Careers brochure

• Spread the word through ValveCareers.com, social media, video and a PR program

• Go where the students are, i.e., career fairs

• Build relationships with schools/colleges

• Engage VMA members in this initiative and provide them with appropriate tools

• Developed list of Human Resources personnel from

member companies

– Still need responses from some companies

• Several dozen Young Valve Professionals (YVPs) have

been nominated by member companies.

– Seeking additional YVPs to ask as spokespersons/ advocates

– Only use first names, employer not identified

OUR ACTIVITIES SO FAR

continued

• ValveCareers.com launched in spring 2015.

– Overview of program, info on VMA and industry, job categories

– YVPs on home page, with links to their “stories”

– Names and links to all member companies

– Online form for submitting brief resumes; available to members via Dropbox

• Valve Careers social media active

– Best results from LinkedIn, followed by Twitter, then Facebook

OUR ACTIVITIES SO FAR

continued

• Developed Valve Careers brochure as well as flyer that can be personalized by members

• Emails sent to college career centers, primarily in Texas (will expand outreach)

• Packets mailed to VMA member HR contacts and official reps in September – Included brochure, customizable flyer, order form

and HR Workshop program info

OUR ACTIVITIES SO FAR

• Texas State Technical College’s career director contacted us about our program.

• VMA Communications Committee invited representatives from TSTC to meet with them

– `Randy Wooten, vice chancellor, and John Kennedy, development director, spoke with committee.

• TSTC has a business-based model with mission to provide students with real skills (the old “craftsmen” model).

AN EXAMPLE: PARTNERING WITH TSTC

• The college is launching a program in Industrial Maintenance with first graduates due in 2 years.

• TSTC agrees to add a Valve Repair track if supplied with appropriate curriculum.

• Subsequent meeting with Greg Johnson at United Valve resulted in curriculum for this track being turned over to TSTC.

• Program could be a model for future endeavors with technical schools

PARTNERING WITH TSTC

• Aid membership in better understanding the

Valve Careers Initiative

• Offer guidance and resources to assist

members in locating and hiring young workers

• Learn more about members’ needs and

experiences

• Provide networking opportunity for members

WHY AN HR WORKSHOP?

• Video of HR Workshop presentations to share with wider VMA audience

• Produce short industry recruiting video early 2016, based on conversations with YVPs

• Compile list of career fairs/events to share with members.

• Procure list of high school guidance counselors; email with offer to send brochures, answer questions, connect them with member companies

• Expand outreach beyond Texas to locations such as Ohio, Illinois, Eastern Seaboard and, concurrently, Canada

• Finalize activities for Careers Initiative in 2016 and begin development of 5-year plan for program.

NEXT STEPS

• Make sure we have your current HR contacts.

• Select one or more YVPs from your company.

• Tell us about schools in your area you would like us to include in our outreach program.

• Order brochures and/or personalized flyers.

• Share your recruiting success stories with VMA and other members!

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING!