LP Gas, December 2018

READERS RESPOND What can the industry do to attract new employees Develop tech programs during high school Affordable health insurance is one of the main issues Regular work fair pay and respect Educate people about the important use of propane and how it betters our lives Start early high school job fairs Help develop an adult education program for vocational schools to teach introduce apprentice programs for those who qualify for these positions Presentations at the local high schools build relationships with our schools Advertising the industry as a technical field Work culture needs to match the generation Provide more tech schools and better pay for qualified people Help promote jobs in the LP industry as good jobs with good pay and benefits Educate employers to the fact that these jobs require good pay and benefits for marketers and state entities to use in workforce recruitment activities by approving 250000 at its July meeting The content will include industry related brochures videos and other materials that marketers or state associations can use in their outreach to workforce boards technical trade schools and colleges The council plans to direct stakeholders to propane com We dont go anywhere in this industry where the industry doesnt say I need help with workforce recruitment says Tucker Perkins president and CEO of PERC We get it We get that its important for us and NPGA to the industry and theres a lot of activity there Offer more social interactions directed towards a younger generation Offer flexible incentive based positions catering to a 24 7 generation Have technical training in high schools or placement centers Educate the new workforce about how to obtain required licensing and the benefits of the propane industry as a career Develop and implement a full training program that could be utilized by our industry or a third party provider such as a community college to include all aspects of the CETP program along with CDL training and a fuel piping contractor license So a full integrated training propane which would standardize the training into a one to two year tech degree to prepare the student directly for the job market the same as any two year college program The answer might be to offer higher wages than the industry standard Maybe even bonus money to attract viable candidates Partner with vocational and technical schools Train at the high school level COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT The propane industry is not alone when it comes to facing employee hiring challenges which is why leaders are considering ways to improve its image to promote employment in the propane industry as a desirable option Were grappling with the same issues that many other industries are grappling with and who were in direct competition with for the same limited labor pool Kuster says That is the thing we have to identify as a propane industry How do we differentiate ourselves from other industries and attract job seekers that are qualified and will make good solid employees for the industry Kuster says other non propane industry NEW ENGLAND PREPPING THE INDUSTRY A ccording to Leslie Anderson president and CEO of the Propane Gas Association of New England PGANE recruitment and workforce development are top of mind for association members Empowering current members of the propane industry is a key to addressing this crisis in New England Anderson explains the associations standing Recruiting Committee which tackles workforce development challenges is developing packages that can be taken into job fairs career days or other recruiting events to better prepare members to speak about the propane industry These packages would include flyers on the benefits of working in the industry a visual presentation of the industry and other materials association members can use in recruitment efforts For job fairs PGANE would provide material to display or hand out to attendees along with tips for industry members on what to wear conversation topics and how to answer common questions In addition Anderson hopes to have a virtual reality component to training efforts providing a first hand look into the propane industry while at a job fair We have to have exciting and interesting hands on modern training Anderson says Joe McCarthy organizations have been talking about workforce development for years even using materials to target students at the middle school and high school levels Developing strategic partnerships with key groups such as the National Association of Workforce Boards the Association for Career Technical Education and The Office of Apprenticeship within the U S Department of Labor is part of the plan to leverage industry assets and Continued on page 34