Case IH Looking to Hire Local Workers to Fill Open Factory Jobs
The effort comes in response to the workforce shortage in the state
FARGO, N.D. — Across the state, several manufacturing companies are struggling to fill open positions.
“When you talk about manufacturing and production, there’s a shortage of skilled workers, so if you got some experience and some skills in that area, you’re in demand and they’d like to hire you,” said Carey Fry, the Workforce Center Manager at the Fargo location for Job Service North Dakota.
Job Service North Dakota estimates there are 2,000 open jobs in areas related to agriculture and manufacturing across the state, half of which are in Fargo.
“North Dakota itself has a very diverse economy in terms of agriculture, manufacturing, technology. We need to continue to invest in our communities and our plant here, and attract top talent,” said Aditya Garg, the Fargo Plant Manager for Case IH.
Case IH is setting its sights on local workers by having some come to its local branch and show them how life is like on the factory floor.
“We’re opening the plant up to the community. We’re welcoming people to come and look, and talk to some of our people about what their experiences are, so those are some of the ways that we are trying to attract the top talent into the plant,” Garg said.
One way that Case IH is looking to expand its pool of workers is by funding STEM programs, and recently they began working with several schools and universities.
Last year, Case IH donated $25,000 grants to five public schools districts, including Fargo Public Schools.
By encouraging younger people to want to learn about agricultural manufacturing, and by opening the doors to prospective workers, Garg is not too worried about the labor shortage long–term.
“I think the future is bright. We need to continue to expand, we need to continue to grow our community, and this is the way Case contributes,” Garg said.
Case IH has fifteen openings at its Fargo plant, most are for welding and machine operation.
