Hiring & workforce
Building the business
971 episodes across 42 shows cover hiring & workforce. The shows that cover it most are Manufacturing Happy Hour, The Manufacturing Executive and EMS@C-LEVEL. The most recent, from 13 Oct 2026, is “Let the Experts Be the Experts: Leading Without Every Answer w/ Amy Mercante” from The Manufacturing Executive.
Recruiting, skills gaps, workforce shortages, training and retaining people, especially in engineering and manufacturing.
971 episodes from 42 shows, most relevant and most recent first.
971 episodes
529: The Narwhal Looked Amazing
Chris Svec, Director of Embedded Software Engineering at Insulet, discusses strategies for onboarding and developing new college graduates in engineering teams. He emphasizes that admitting ignorance publicly is a superpower and warns…
BONUS: What Manufacturers Can Learn from Central Wisconsin's Workforce Strategy (LIVE from Wausau, WI)
Chris Luecke hosts a live panel with Jim Waldron of Wausau Tile, John Peterson of Schuette Metals, Scott Mattmiller of Greenheck Group, Laura Strek of Imperial Industries, and Tom Felch of J&D Tube Benders to discuss the Central Wisconsin…
288: Inside the Sisterhood of Trades: Why Women Are Choosing Skilled Trades Careers
Nush Ahmed, CEO, and Brooke Laing, Chief Strategy Officer of Sisterhood of Trades, explain how their community supports women in skilled trades through digital platforms. They detail the evolution from a Snapchat group to a structured…
Mayan-on-Chip: Training Mexico's Next Semiconductor Engineers
Nasska Medrano of Altium Education and Professor Johan Estrada of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) discuss the Mayan-on-Chip initiative, a workforce development program in southeastern Mexico designed to train engineers in…
S7E24 Larry Copponi | The Most Important Skill To Get Hired As An Engineer
Larry Copponi, VP of Staffing Solutions at Spanner Product Development, discusses the evolving landscape of engineering hiring, emphasizing that resourcefulness and strong soft skills are now the most critical attributes for getting hired…
278: How Second-Chance Hiring Changes Lives and Helps Manufacturers Find and Develop Talent with Marcus Sheanshang, President of JBM Packaging
Marcus Sheanshang, President of JBM Packaging, explains how his company transformed its talent strategy by launching a Fair Chance Hiring Program in 2016 to address a looming brain drain from retiring workers. Sheanshang details the…
Finding Manufacturing’s Invisible Workforce w/ Simba Jonga
Simba Jonga, founder and CEO of Laborup, explains how his AI-powered platform addresses the manufacturing labor gap by making the 'invisible' blue-collar workforce searchable through voice-based AI screening rather than traditional…
#437: MedTech Talent Reset: AI, Skills, and the Hidden Job Market
Elena Kyria, founder and CEO of Elemed, discusses the 'reset' in the MedTech talent market, where the previous 'war for talent' has shifted to a candidate-saturated environment driven by AI and economic volatility. She explains how…
Chocolate Castings, Apprenticeships and the Future of Manufacturing Careers w/ Mike Kubacki
Mike Kubacki, a project coordinator at IACME (Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation), discusses the critical workforce shortage in the US casting and forging industries, which he frames as a national security risk…
The Right and Wrong Use Cases for AI in Supply Chain Recruiting w/ Friddy Hoegener
Friddy Hoegener, Co-Founder and President of SCOPE Recruiting, discusses the strategic use of AI in supply chain recruiting, arguing that while AI is effective for note-taking and summarizing interviews, it dangerously dilutes the human…
Building Teams That Scale And What Happens When They Don't | Peloton, Meta, Blaze Talent | Will Blaze
Will Blaze, founder of Blaze Talent, discusses his experience scaling engineering teams at Peloton and Meta, and his current work with companies like CoreWeave, Andium, and Sandbar. He explains the trade-offs between hiring full-time…
#402: How to Attract Real Talent in the Medical Device Industry
Kirk Petyo, Managing Partner at Talent Factory Recruiting, explains how medical device companies can build magnetic employer brands by defining clear value drivers and focusing on candidate capability rather than just existing competency…
EP 135: Talking Semiconductor Recruiting
Michael Cunningham, founder of Lonergan Partners, discusses the semiconductor recruitment landscape, highlighting a projected talent shortage driven by AI growth and reshoring efforts. He notes that while US fab capacity is growing, it…
282: Inside a Warehouse Automation Project: How Sumitomo Drive Technologies Is Transforming Logistics and Reshoring Operations
Tony Barlett, COO, and Shawn Lambert, Operations Project Manager, from Sumitomo Drive Technologies, detail their ongoing warehouse automation project at their Chesapeake, Virginia headquarters. The initiative replaces 30,000 square feet of…
302: Philly's Answer to the Talent Shortage (LIVE in King of Prussia, PA)
Ashley Watkins of JBM Technologies, Brett Lister of B&B Dynamic Machining (Open Tolerance), and Matt Bruner of American Precision Works discuss the collaborative Philadelphia manufacturing ecosystem, highlighting how sharing equipment and…
227: Are the Challenges Facing Rural vs. Urban Manufacturers Really That Different? Live from the Midwest Manufacturers Trade Show & Conference
Chris Luecke interviews Krisi Schell of SRC Holdings, Chris Oravec of L&R Industries, and Drew Crowe of New American Manufacturing Renaissance about the distinct yet overlapping talent challenges facing rural and urban manufacturers…
Workforce as Critical Infrastructure: Following North Carolina's Model w/ John Loyack
John Loyack, Vice President of Economic Development for the North Carolina Community College System, explains how North Carolina transformed from a textile and furniture hub into a diversified manufacturing powerhouse by treating its…
193 - Bioengineering Grads: Here’s What Recruiters Actually Want to See in 2025
Kirk Petyo, Managing Partner at Talent Factory Medical, advises bioengineering graduates on securing entry-level roles in medical devices and pharma by emphasizing the importance of a clear career 'why' and specific resume objectives. He…
7 Steps for Manufacturing Leaders to Take Off the Sales Hat w/ Mike Huey
Mike Huey, owner of Scalable Sales Solutions, outlines a seven-step framework to help manufacturing leaders transition from founder-led sales to a scalable system. He argues that owners often cling to the 'sales hat' because they lack the…
Fair Chance Hiring: Transforming Businesses and Lives w/ Marcus Sheanshang
Marcus Sheanshang, CEO of JBM Packaging, explains how his company’s Fair Chance Hiring program addresses critical staffing gaps by recruiting and training previously incarcerated individuals. The episode details the operational challenges…
#435: ICYMI (In Case You Missed It!) Becoming a Regulatory Affairs Professional
Kavetha Ram, Regulatory Department Leader at Spectra Medical Devices and professor at Northeastern University, discusses the challenges new regulatory affairs professionals face, including overcoming imposter syndrome and building…
S6E50 Brad & Aaron | The Case for Better Professional Communication
Host Aaron Moncur and his partner Brad Hirayama discuss the normalization of professional ghosting in engineering hiring and vendor relationships, citing Brad's recent job search experiences and Aaron's frustrations with unresponsive…
Aligning Talent with Strategy in Electronics Manufacturing with Audrey McGuckin on EMS@C-Level
Audrey McGuckin, CEO of McGuckin Group, explains her 'six Bs' framework for aligning talent strategy with business revenue goals in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry. She argues that leaders must prioritize binding key…
219: How Skillwork Is Like Travel Nursing for Manufacturing Talent Featuring Brett Elliott and Tim Raglin of Skillwork
Brett Elliott and Tim Raglin, co-founders of Skillwork, explain how their company addresses the manufacturing skills gap by applying the travel nursing model to skilled trades. They discuss Skillwork's 'four-legged stool' strategy, which…
215: How Manufacturers Can Connect with the Community to Attract Top Talent featuring Behlen Mfg. Co.
Cody Myers, Jon Rauner, and Mick Yrkoski of Behlen Mfg. Co. discuss their strategy for attracting and retaining top manufacturing talent in rural Nebraska. They emphasize a 'pay-it-forward' mentality, valuing drive and continuous learning…
198: Manufacturing’s Role in the Resurgence of Rust Belt Cities with Drew Crowe, Live from 4 Hands Brewing Company in St. Louis, MO
Drew Crowe, founder of the New American Manufacturing Renaissance, joins host Chris Luecke and guests Michael Eaton (Missouri Association of Manufacturers), Mary Cecile Neville (AMT), Brad Jones and Jeff Hawkins (Endeavor), and Cynthia…
Forwardskilling: Technical Training for the Existing Workforce w/ Bill Berrien
Bill Berrien, Owner and CEO of Pindel Global Precision and Liberty Precision Manufacturing, explains his 'Forwardskilling' initiative, a mid-career apprenticeship model designed to upskill existing manufacturing workers. He details how his…
#135 Recruiting 101 with Peggy Shell, Creative Alignments
Peggy Shell, founder of Creative Alignments, explains why early-stage CPG companies should avoid traditional contingency recruiting fees (25-30% of salary) in favor of her firm's time-based hourly model. She outlines a DIY recruiting…
The Manufacturing Apprenticeship Opportunity w/ Jason Woodard
Jason Woodard, Plant Manager at Geislinger Corporation, explains how his company built a machinist apprenticeship program that now comprises 25% of their machinist staff. He details the process of partnering with the Department of Labor…
Perspectives on Finding and Keeping Manufacturing Talent w/ Jon Franko
Jon Franko, host of The Manufacturing EMPLOYER podcast and business partner at Gorilla 76, discusses common themes from his inaugural year of interviewing manufacturing leaders regarding talent acquisition and retention. He highlights the…
#372: Getting Hired In MedTech
Mitch Robbins, founder of the Anthony Michael Group, discusses hiring strategies in the MedTech industry, emphasizing that despite an employer-favorable market, companies must prioritize candidate experience and clear communication. He…
Investor Spotlight: Mollye Santulli, Springdale Ventures
Mollye Santulli, Principal at Springdale Ventures, explains the firm's investment thesis, which targets founder-led consumer brands generating $1–$15 million in revenue, with a sweet spot of $1–$5 million. She details Springdale's…
The Critical Shift: Bridging the Generational Gap in PCB Design
Cory Blaylock, Director of Workforce Partnerships at IPC, discusses the critical generational gap in the electronics manufacturing industry caused by the retirement of experienced workers who gained their skills before manufacturing moved…
193: Discussing the Skills Gap over a Beer: Live from Founders Brewing in Grand Rapids, MI (Powered by SwipeGuide)
Ann Wyatt of Ann Wyatt Recruiting, Ryan Lillibridge of Mission Design & Automation, and Willemijn Schneyder, CEO of SwipeGuide, discuss strategies to close the manufacturing skills gap. They argue that companies must lower barriers to…
184: How to Win the War on Talent by Becoming a Veteran-Ready Organization Featuring Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz, LtCol, USAF, Retired
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz, founder of Vanguard Veteran, explains how manufacturers can transition from being merely 'veteran-friendly' to 'veteran-ready' by implementing robust retention systems, mentorship, and…
242: Industrial History and the Low-Carbon Economy of the Future with Ted Fertik, VP of Manufacturing & Industrial Policy at BlueGreen Alliance
Ted Fertik, VP of Manufacturing & Industrial Policy at the BlueGreen Alliance, discusses the intersection of industrial history, policy, and the low-carbon economy. He draws on his PhD in economic history to analyze past industrial…
Solving Labor Challenges the Simpler Way: A Fresh Look at Robotics w/ Ken Macken
Ken Macken, CEO and founder of Workr Labs, explains how his company addresses manufacturing labor shortages by deploying a flexible robotic workforce designed for high-mix, high-variability environments. He details their approach of using…
Engineering Industry Evangelist
Pipeline Design & Engineering, a firm specializing in automation and custom manufacturing equipment, announces a hiring initiative for a Business Development and Industry Evangelist. The role emphasizes relationship-building over…
A New Generation of Craftsmen with Character w/ Dave Hataj
Dave Hataj, founder of Craftsman with Character and president of Egerton Gear, explains how his pre-apprenticeship program addresses the manufacturing labor crisis by pairing high school students with mentors to build character and…
Getting Inside the Minds of the Next Generation w/ Meaghan Ziemba
Meaghan Ziemba, host of Mavens of Manufacturing, discusses the critical need for manufacturers to engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha to close the skills gap, noting that 12 million jobs will be available by 2030. She argues that younger…
IPC at Electronica 24: AI in Manufacturing, Talent and Training with John Mitchell
John Mitchell, President and CEO of IPC, discusses the intersection of AI, talent shortages, and training in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry at Electronica 2024. He argues that AI should act as an accelerant for new…
S5E49 John Rogers & Sean Maciag | A Career Worth Engineering – From Graduation to Professional
John Rogers and Sean Maciag, authors of 'A Career Worth Engineering,' discuss the transition from student to professional engineer, emphasizing the importance of quantifying resume achievements and understanding business profitability…
Hiring Processes with Gergely Orosz
Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal of Oxide Computer Company discuss their hiring process with Gergely Orosz, The Pragmatic Engineer. They explain how Oxide uses a written portfolio and RFD (Request for Discussion) documents to evaluate…
Inside PCBAA's Fight for American Circuit Board Manufacturing
David Schild, Executive Director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), discusses the organization's advocacy for H.R. 3597, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act, to secure tax incentives for domestic PCB…
Episode 124: The State of The Japanese Semiconductor Industry
Professor John Metzler from UC Berkeley discusses the state of the Japanese semiconductor industry following recent trips to Japan, focusing on the construction of the Rapidus fab in Hokkaido and the operational TSMC facility in Kumamoto…
237: How Higher Education Is Shaping the Future of Manufacturing with MIT's Dr. John Liu
Dr. John Liu, Principal Investigator of MIT’s LEAP Group, discusses how higher education is reshaping manufacturing through programs like MicroMasters and TechAMP. He explains MIT's historical role in formalizing lean manufacturing and…
On-Demand Labor for a Fluctuating Demand Curve w/ Adam Rubatt
Adam Rubatt, Director of Operations Intelligence at Veryable, explains how manufacturers can manage fluctuating labor demand by shifting from fixed workforces to an on-demand labor model. He details the company's digital marketplace and…
Bonus Episode - The EMS (Eric Miscoll Show) - Talent: Attracting, Training, and Retaining it and Mitigating Scarcity
Host Eric Miscoll interviews David Hernandez of IPC and Gustavo Sepulveda of Panasonic North America about the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry's talent shortage and the role of automation and training in mitigating it…
The Real Reason Manufacturers Are Missing with Gen Z w/ Jacob Sanchez
Jacob Sanchez, a Gen Z advocate for manufacturing and founder of MFGKids.com, explains why industrial companies are failing to recruit young talent by ignoring existing pools of interest like FIRST Robotics. He argues that manufacturers…
Cultivating Veteran Champions in Manufacturing w/ Lt Col Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz
Lt Col Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz, founder and CEO of Vanguard Veteran LLC, explains how manufacturing leaders can transition from being merely 'veteran friendly' to 'veteran ready' by implementing comprehensive talent strategies. She…