Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1523117
18 Pallet C e nt ral • July -Aug u st 2 0 24 TRAINING I n 2023, the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) worked with the Manufacturing Institute's Center for Manufacturing Research to assess the top workforce challenges aecting the wooden pallet manufacturing industry. !e results of the study weren't much of a surprise to researchers: recruitment, hiring, and employee retention were highlighted as today's top challenges. !e complex labor challenges that pallet manufacturers navigate every day aren't new, but after the pandemic, manufacturers have experienced an even stronger impact from these factors. !ere's no getting around it—working on the manufacturing oor for any production process is a labor-intensive and mentally demanding job. For hiring managers, the ght against labor gaps feels endless. As these experts tap into every resource available to hire, train, and retain talent, there is one resource that's often overlooked. !e Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (W IOA) is a federal law designed to make it easier for potential employees to nd job opportunities and for employers to identify and hire the talent they need to succeed. WIOA can help the pallet manufacturing industry—and many other industries—with stang challenges, but in order for that to happen, leaders have to know it exists and know how to use the resources it provides. What Is WIOA? Passed in 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act gives employers LEVERAGING WIOA TO OVERCOME WORKFORCE CHALLENGES IN THE PALLET MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY BY J. HUNTER BLOHM access to a federally funded pool of nearly $3.2 billion. !e funds are div vied up between states based on each state's population, how much it utilized from the fund in prior years, and a few other factors. !ere are many programs within W IOA, but one of the most important programs for employers is the On- !e-Job Training Program which helps oset employee training costs. To ensure that money reaches local businesses, each state puts together a local workforce board. !e board acts as the " boots on the ground," helping businesses navigate the law's programs to get the funds they need for talent- related initiatives. !e collaboration between federal money, state oversight, and the regional board is vital to supporting economically necessary businesses around the nation.