CM Labs as mentioned in Crane & Access Magazine:
It’s one thing to be an expert in renting out equipment – but in a market with labour and skill shortages, it’s also vital to know how to hire the right people.
Talk to almost anyone in the lifting equipment business across Europe – manufacturers, distributors, rental companies and service providers – and they all highlight how hard it is to find and retain good people. Although career opportunities in the crane and aerial work platform market are excellent the sector has never been seen as sexy or even visible to the general public, and that can make it a hard sell to anyone, but especially young people looking to choose a career.
Appealing to the next generation is never easy, especially when the crane or access sector is generally something they are not even aware of, even though the equipment surrounds them – if they could only see it. There are, however, methods that can be adopted. For example, Skijack and its parent company Linamar are bakers of the Skills Ontario competition. This annual event in Toronto sees school age students compete in a range of skills-focused events such as servicing heavy equipment and repairing cars.
“Supporting and celebrating youths interested in trades of all kinds is important for both highlighting our industry as an exciting option and for showing students the different paths they can take in their careers,” says Skyjack’s Malcolm Early.
“We utilize information and statistics from trade associations and other sources, to help with our recruitment strategies. Furthermore, we also make sure that our values and clear to potential employees on our social media and careers pages.”
[…]To outsiders, lifting equipment can look quite traditional, but in fact it is right at the leading edge of simulator training tools.
CM Labs was one of the first simulator manufacturers to get involved in the powered access market while also offering a range of crane simulators. CM’s Alan Limoges says: “There is a lot of excitement with younger generations when a simulator is in the room. Some of our clients are bringing our portable Edge Plus simulators to career fairs or taking them on the road, they attract a lot of attention and make for a great conversation starter.”
“When young people who are deciding on a career path see it, it piques their interest given that screens and joystick controls are something they have always known and are familiar with. They take very naturally to simulation and virtual training. It’s amazing too, since they get the chance to feel what it’s like to operate heavy equipment in a perfectly safe environment. I’ve seen it happen where high school students will try the simulator and say, ‘Wow, I never thought I’d enjoy this so much’. It gives them the opportunity to see the line of work in a new light and to envision themselves working as an operator.”
[…]Read the full article discussing hiring strategies for attracting the next generation in the lifting industry in Crane & Access’s June 2024 Magazine, p48-p26.
