Manufacturing challenges grow as some jobs go.
Does Chicago work for manufacturing? Not for some Ford employees. We have learned that the state-of-the-art Ford Motor Company plant in Chicago on 130th and Torrence Avenue will have to layoff employees. The plant was previously lauded as a possible gateway to the rebirth of manufacturing in an area dessimated by the closing of steel plants decades before. Nearly 800 people will lose jobs at the end of their work day on November 3rd. This action will have a spillover effect on a smaller number of jobs from suppliers who depend on Ford for part of their business.
Slumping car sales are blamed for this action. One question is where assembly line workers go from here. There are fewer manufacturing jobs in the area and few options in that area in particular. Finding a job could be difficult and finding one that does not require a substantial commute time could be challenging.
Laid off workers benefit from:
1. Being flexible - an exact match in the job market could be hard to find.
2. Playing up your problem solving skills - these are skills needed in other fields such as healthcare, information technology or other service industries.
3. Recognizing and not fighting that retraining may be needed even in another manufacturing job. There are no unskilled manufacturing jobs being created. All will require the culture change of the worker taking more initiative and the skill requirement of embracing new technologies.
4. Not spending time bashing your former employer to new contacts. Emphasize the contributions you've made to your previous employer when interviewing.
5. Recognizing the need for support. Avoid retreating and seek out as much information as you can get regarding job training, opportunities, psychological support and any of these benefits you can get from the company that is reducing the workforce and agencies in your community. Become an expert of the benefits available for laid off workers.
6. Taking action everyday. Laid off workers are often paralyzed by the experience of losing a job. Staying active and positive will help these workers recover from laid off status quicker.
Comments