Hempfield's General Carbide tries creative approach for recruitment

Similar to countless other businesses that have been adversely affected by the pandemic, General Carbide is on the hunt for reliable employees to fill staffing shortages — specifically, recent high school graduates.

Jessica Gardner, the human resources manager for the Hempfield-based manufacturer, said the lack of employees has made the recruiting process “more unique.”

“We’re always looking for the best talent. We’re always looking for those employees that are eager, that want to learn, that want to be a part of our culture, but we know that there’s a need greater than us,” Gardner said. “I mean, every employer I think right now, we are all looking for that employee.”

Gardner said General Carbide has tried to be at the forefront in thinking of creative ways to recruit new employees, especially since manufacturing is “crucial” to local communities.

“With the evolving marketplace, we have really readjusted,” Gardner said. “Let’s offer that part-time position. Let’s offer the flexible scheduling for summer jobs, offer tuition reimbursement (and) apprenticeship opportunities.”

Sara Lang, career readiness counselor and cyber coordinator at Hempfield, said she wants to discuss the importance of starting salaries more with local businesses.

“We … need to have an income that is livable,” Lang said. “It’s important that we all talk about that as a community.”

There has been a recent call for a better work-life balance overall, according to Lang.

“We know that this young population of employees (is) different than the older population,” Lang said. “They’re having jobs for one or two years and switching to the next employer. It’s different than it ever was, and it’s not one and done.”

Lang said another reason for the lack of employees could be that some individuals were afraid to go to work amid the pandemic and still are experiencing that fear.

“Our society has changed completely,” Lang said. “A lot of these employers are offering remote work now.”

One idea General Carbide had was to hold signing days for high schoolers coming to work there full time after graduation.

“We started talking about (how) all of these high school students … not all of them are going to get the athletic scholarship, not all of them are going to go to college, not all of them are going to go into the military,” Gardner said. “How can we make them feel special?”

At Hempfield’s Spartan Connections Career Fair last month, graduating senior William Gallagher, 17, was one future General Carbide employee who received a signing day of his own.

“It is a very important moment in my life,” said Gallagher of Greensburg after he signed his contract. “It’s very important to have a long-lasting job, and I feel like I have chosen one that I (will) want to be with for a long time.”

Lang said it is difficult for counselors to ask 18-year-olds what they want to do for the rest of their lives, so it’s best for students to “start with one goal and move from there.”