Job growth demonstrates greater need for training, Hubbell says
Fred Hubbell, center, running as a Democratic primary candidate for Iowa's gubernatorial election, listens as Kurt George, MTE vice president; and Angela Peters, quality manager; explain Machine Tool Engineering Inc.'s shop machines during a tour on Tuesday morning. Press photos by Kate Hayden
From left: Fred Hubbell speaks to Kristin, Alex, Sarah and Kurt George in a tour of the family's machine tooling business. Not pictured: daughter Kari Ungs, who was also present.
Gubernatorial candidate Fred Hubbell asks about MTE's workload and job opportunities during an hour-long visit at the Charles City manufacturer.
Sophomore Kristin George greets gubernatorial candidate Fred Hubbell at her family's business office on Tuesday. Contributed photo
By Kate Hayden, khayden@charlescitypress.com
When Democratic gubernatorial primary candidate Fred Hubbell stopped by the family business on Tuesday, MTE Inc. owners Kurt and Sarah George shared their main concerns for growth.
“We have more work to do than we have workers,” Sarah George, president of Machine Tool Engineering, told Hubbell.
Hubbell joined the Georges and MTE staff members on a tour of the business’s shop floor Tuesday morning, along with Iowa Rep. Todd Prichard, D-Charles City, who has recently endorsed Hubbell in the primary campaign for governor. MTE’s staffing shortage is not unique in Iowa, Hubbell told the Press.
“The most common thing is they need more people. Almost every manufacturer we go to, they want more people,” Hubbell said.
MTE is one of multiple manufacturing businesses Hubbell and his staff have visited in recent weeks as part of his campaign tour. MTE manufactures operating parts for local and national industries, including for clients like the Waterloo John Deere plant and the Navy.
MTE had previously had Gov. Kim Reynolds visit a few years ago, when she was a lieutenant governor under Terry Branstad.
“Anytime that somebody from the government cares enough to stop and see what we think, I think that’s always a good thing,” Sarah George said.
High school students don’t have equipment available to them to grow an interest in the types of jobs MTE relies on in the machine shop, she told Hubbell.
“We just don’t have the right emphasis and support for the training program starting in the high schools,” Hubbell said.
Trades jobs have a higher average income than is typical in Iowa, Hubbell said.
“There’s a company in Pella that would like to hire 300 more people,” he said. “Most of the small manufacturing businesses, and it’s not just manufacturing — they all would like to expand more.
“We’re just not doing a good job of helping parents and school counselors to realize that there are a lot of these jobs. They’re not the stereotypical old, boring manufacturing job anymore, They do require a lot of math, science, computing skills, as well as a willingness to be creative and want to make things.”
Hubbell said responsibility also relies on local businesses and community colleges to work together on offering training for jobs that exist within communities they serve.
“We all need to work in different ways … and make sure we have the right kind of training available for more people,” Hubbell said.
In the meantime, MTE is still pushing a message of it’s own in the community, Vice President Kurt George said: “We’re hiring.”
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