Just how good is your organization when it comes to reaching out to young creators? iStock / Getty Images Plus

When it comes to being a creator, nobody does better than those of you who form sheet metal components. Your components transport people, build office buildings, perform otherwise time-consuming chores, enable the hardware driving the digital economy, and provide recreational equipment. Your products last years and historically defined human advances.

In an age where employees run in short supply, perhaps we need to compete with other industries by highlighting the creativity and endurance of the components the metal forming industry builds.

I spent some time over the weekend watching Instagram and TikTok videos just to settle my curiosity. While I did find some wonderfully talented people, the great majority of videos were lame cat videos and worse.

I understand the fun. I even follow a few talented young professionals who inspire me. Mostly, I walked away thinking that I had just wasted time I will never recover.

Humans are hardwired to create. We all enjoy the sense of accomplishment from building things. The abundance of videos and photos fulfills our desire to make something as well as our need to say, “Look at me!” While we struggle to find new employees, it seems worthwhile to tap into this basic human motivation. We design things. We build things. Our things last longer and are more useful than all, including the most meaningful social media videos.

As with most of us, young people start their careers with the hope of contributing to something meaningful and being recognized for it. Young people today have more opportunities available and learned from their parents that corporate loyalty often is a one-way street. Successfully attracting new young employees demands that industry break from the draconian employment rules of the past.

Forming sheet metal is an ancient industry still driven by historic rules and practices. We are now in an incredibly dynamic industry. New materials, new forming processes, and advanced information technologies push into and beyond the practices of the past and challenge what we know.

The advancements in sheet metals and forming technologies offer both challenge and opportunity. Our advances allow us to tell younger generations that we need their ideas, technological skills, and energy to move us forward. It also gives us the opportunity to introduce experienced employees to new ideas and share in the excitement of building the industry’s future.

Some examples of actions we can take to encourage participation in the industry include:

We have a long way to go to attract talent. It all begins with a few small steps. Question your practices. Build an environment of respect and integrity. Start talking about your goals and letting prospects know you need them, their talent, and their leadership to maintain the strength of tomorrow’s sheet metal forming industry.

STAMPING Journal is the only industrial publication dedicated solely to serving the needs of the metal stamping market. Since 1989 the publication has been dedicated to covering the cutting-edge technologies, industry trends, best practices, and news that help stamping professionals run their businesses more efficiently.

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