Industry Insights:
Today’s Students are
Tomorrow’s
Signmakers
Yaron Lew, Lauretano Sign Group’s chief operating offi cer, says the fi rst Friday in October has
become an important date on his calendar. For the past four years, that has been the day when
Lauretano has welcomed local students as part of Sign Manufacturing Day. Th e annual event,
sponsored by ISA in conjunction with the National Association of Manufacturers, brings in
students to learn more about careers in the sign, graphics, and visual communications industry.
Like so many others in our industry, hiring has
been “a very big challenge in some areas,” Yaron
said. “Painters, welders, fabricators, and installers
are very hard to fi nd. It’s a little bit easier in
shipping/receiving, channel letters production,
CNC operations, and in the offi ce. Designers and
estimators are very hard to fi nd, while sales and
project management is somewhat easier. We recognize,
of course, that anyone we hire will need to be
trained on the particulars of the sign industry.”
Sign Manufacturing Day is helping to solve that
issue. Lauretano was successful in hiring one
employee who came in as a student to tour the
facility on Manufacturing Day. He was hired as a
welder, and has since expanded into fabrication.
“He likes the fact that it’s not a routine of doing
the same thing every day, over and over,” Yaron
said. “It’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
One day he will be welding a frame, the next he
might be wiring a sign and another day he might
be fabricating the skins. We like our workforce to
be cross trained and this employee was very successful
in adapting to the idea of cross training.”
Others have found the same thing. Alfonso
Guida was hired at Signtech in San Diego aft er
touring during Sign Manufacturing Day. Initially
a welder, Alfonso loves the diversity of his career.
He recently fi lmed a video for ISA, talking about
how great it is to work in the sign, graphics and
visual communications industry. You can see the
video at www.signs.org/alfonso.
At Lauretano, one successful hire marks the
beginning of a relationship that can continue to
pay off as the happy employee introduces friends
and former classmates to the career opportunities
there. It also serves as a bridge to the school
and its instructors.
“We told him to bring in friends and spread the
word that we are hiring. We hope that he will,”
Yaron said. Even on those rare occasions when
there aren’t positions open, continuing to raise
the visibility of Lauretano is important. “You may
not need somebody right now, but you will in the
future,” Yaron said. “Th e more we are known and
recognized, the easier it will be.”
Th at is so true. Our industry faces a very real
threat when it comes to fi nding and keeping
workers. When I’ve attended Sign Manufacturing
Day events, I see how excited students become
when touring top sign manufacturers. Th ey see
products that they encounter every day—but never
thought about how those signs are designed,
fabricated, installed, and maintained. Once they
begin to understand that, they can see themselves
working in our industry. Each year, we
survey participants and have seen a fairly consistent
number of participants who are now willing
to consider a career in our industry. Before, they
didn’t really know we existed.
In an industry that so oft en puts the spotlight
on others—helping businesses build their
brands—we don’t oft en shine our own light.
Events like Sign Manufacturing Day can do that—
and pay dividends. So oft en, people drive by our
buildings and have no idea that what occurs
inside contributes to strong businesses. Th ose
By Lori Anderson
President & CEO
of the International
Sign Association
Lori Anderson is president & CEO for
the International Sign Association
(ISA), which serves the international
on-premise signage and visual
communications industry. ISA’s
programs include educational
conferences, government relations,
technology research, and the
International Sign Exposition.
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24 Wide-Format & Signage August 2017 PrintingNewscom