Page 26: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q4 2013)

Tradesmen: National Coverage & a Skilled, Diverse Workforce According to Matt McClone, Tradesmen International Vice President W orkforce Development, the key advantages of en- gaging Tradesmen as a stafÞ ng partner is rooted in their abil- ity to meet the distinct trade requirements of shipyards, begin- ning with their national team of shipyard coordinators: former mariners, merchant captains, shipbuilding professionals, na- val ofÞ cers, and enlisted men. ÒWith these insights, they have the unique ability to understand the unique and dynamic needs of the shipyard industry. That, along with our national reach including a permanent presence in 36 port cities allows us to access a very large pool of skilled marine craftsmen and pro- vide uniform service in all shipyard locations.Ó Tradesmen InternationalÕs screening process is stringent: a minimum of two interviews; skill-testing using MOCode tests and available hands-on testing; veriÞ cation of a minimum three years of experience; reference checks with a minimum of three employers; background checks that meet client stan- dards; drug testing as required by the client; E-VeriÞ cation to prove U.S. Citizenship; a valid driverÕs license and reliable transportation veriÞ cation and conÞ rmation of PPE and ap- propriate tools-of-the trade ownership. Not just anyone gets to work under the Tradesmen umbrella. Arguably the ideal Þ t for a cyclical industry such as ship- building, TradesmenÕs biggest challenge is often just educat- ing the clients to understand the beneÞ ts and importance of choosing the right stafÞ ng Þ rm. McClone Adds, ÒWith the severe shortage of skilled craft professionals weighing on the industryÕs shipyards, the emphasis is not on convincing shipyards to include a variable labor partner into their stafÞ ng solution; the recession did a good job of explaining that to the shipyards. The recession certainly opened the door for our business model but it also ß ooded the market place with staff- ing Þ rms, temp agencies, and similar companies. ItÕs impor- tant that shipyards choose the right Þ rm researching the com- panyÕs history, treatment of employees, standards of business and overall ethical standards. Can the Þ rm do what they say they will and stand behind their employees? We can, and do.Ó Today, Tradesmen InternationalÕs strong suits include ship- yard and yacht trades; both repair and new construction. The Þ rm prides itself on its ability to staff all size marine projects ranging from extremely specialized mega yacht construction projects that may only require a handful of niche craftsmen to large repair jobs that require several hundred craftsmen in a short amount of time. McClone calls it Òlocal presence and national reach.Ó Bollinger Believes According to Bollinger Shipyard Human Resources Man- ager Jerome Eymard, BollingerÕs primary reason for becom- ing involved with NMEC was to actively support an asso- ciation whose initiative is to address a major concern of the shipbuilding and repair industry; namely, workforce develop- ment. Eymard told MarPro in November, ÒBollinger has been a member of Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium (GSSC) since 2008 and we were involved in the GSSCÕs creation of the NMEC to address industry workforce development issues on a national level, so we were a member of the NMEC from its inception in 2012.Ó The NMEC/NCCER curriculum models offers ß exibility with training. For example, member organizations can takes steps through the NCCER to become an approved accredited training sponsor and/or assessment center. With these options, companies can rate their current workers through assessments in order to identify areas for skill improvement. The assess- ments in turn determine what modules workers would need to complete in order to attain a higher classiÞ cation. Also, com- panies can utilize their NCCER accredited local technical and community colleges to train their existing workers and extend the training to high schools to generate new skilled workers for the industry. BollingerÕs Eymard explains further, ÒOverall, we will use TRAINING & RECRUITMENTWeeks Marine, Inc. 
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