The shortage of skilled labor continues to present a significant challenge for the marine industrial base (MIB). ATDM has emerged as a vital solution, enabling companies like Ellwood National Forge to rapidly upskill employees and meet the growing demand for precision manufacturing.
As a premier steel component supplier working to meet various needs in the defense industry, Ellwood National Forge needed to address the labor gap to continue to support its operations. In 2022, it approached ATDM for solutions.
Abraham Bigelow, training manager at Ellwood National Forge, quickly saw the value in the ATDM program when he visited the training facilities in Danville, Virginia.
“The idea of taking over a year of training and condensing it into four months seemed impossible. But when I drove down for an event at ATDM, I got to tour the facility and equipment, watching students and instructors,” recalled Bigelow. “Once I saw what was happening, it was pretty quick that we made the decision to start sending folks down there.”
Ellwood National Forge has been sending employees to ATDM for the past two years to acquire essential machining skills. Seven employees have been trained so far, with more on the way in ATDM’s current CNC machining cohort.
“We need to add so many skilled laborers to the workforce, it’s almost insurmountable,” said Bigelow. “Skills are easy to develop, but the desire to do a good job is essential. As long as we have folks who are willing to go, we’re going to send them.”
One of Ellwood National Forge’s employees entered the ATDM program with no prior machining experience and returned fully capable in his craft, quickly ascending to a coveted role in the company’s finish machining department. This transformation is a perfect example of how ATDM effectively equips participants with skills immediately applicable in the workforce.
ATDM also provided administrative support to make it easy for Bigelow’s team to enroll employees into the program and get new recruits into their workforce.
“Anytime we have questions, the folks are there to help,” said Bigelow of ATDM’s staff.
Enrolling at ATDM is a valuable first step for those interested in entering the manufacturing field.
“There’s not a course at ATDM that isn’t going to get you closer to a job here.”
ATDM’s approach to training is a game-changer for companies like Ellwood National Forge. By fostering a skilled workforce, ATDM is addressing immediate labor shortages while also allowing employers to continue to invest in both new recruits and seasoned workers who can upskill and reskill to fit the needs of the marine industrial base at a faster pace.