Hiring for Essential Manufacturing During a Pandemic

Find out about which companies are hiring, what they are making, and how they are keeping essential workers safe

As a staffing firm, we take jobs seriously, and nothing is more urgent right now than helping critical manufacturing, and essential companies remain operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. Deemed necessary for the economic prosperity and continuity of the United States, critical manufacturers keep the nation’s infrastructure functional.  To that extent, we are seeing an influx of openings for positions right here in Massachusetts, and our recruiters are working hard to fill them. We may be working from home, but together we are collaborating with critical manufacturers who have equally critical positions to fill, especially in the semiconductor industry.

Are manufacturers hiring during COVID-19?

While non-essential manufacturers have transformed their assembly lines to provide healthcare workers and those on the frontline with much needed personal protective equipment including ventilators, masks, and personal protective equipment, there still remains an enclave of manufacturers working behind the scenes to keep the things we take for granted up and running during the time of COVID-19. Electricity, transportation, energy, garbage collection, disposal, and defense, to name a few – must continue to operate as these industries are prone to natural and human-made disasters. In other words, their vitality is necessary for preventing supply chains from coming to a standstill.

As such, essential areas of manufacturing for which we must continue to hire for include:

• Semiconductor industry
• Medical manufacturers
• Primary metals manufacturing
• Machinery manufacturing
• Electrical equipment, appliance, and component manufacturing
• Transportation equipment manufacturing including automakers

Here at Footbridge, our recruiters are on the lookout for candidates to fill critical manufacturing roles, including assemblers, technicians, designers, engineers, administrators, and welders, all within the confines of COVID-19 restrictions, which brings us to safety.  

How are essential companies keeping employees safe during COVID-19?

Manufacturers are following safety guidelines during COVID-19, according to standards set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Travel restrictions are in place. Surfaces are routinely being disinfected, and so too are control panels, packaging centers, loading docks, time clocks, recreational space, restrooms, offices, and electronics. Personal protective equipment is in use, and temperatures are taken the moment an employee walks through a plant door.

When possible, manufacturers should be enforcing workers to remain in their zones. If someone is sick, they stay at home. Additionally, workers should expect shift changes as managers toggle schedules. Supervisors can support their teams with daily check-ins and conversations, asking how they are doing.

Looking forward

With that said, we are happy to say jobs in the critical manufacturing space are ample, and if you have been furloughed or laid off during the COVID-19 epidemic, now is the time to explore opportunities. For workers looking for manufacturing jobs, the ball is in their court. For a complete list of critical manufacturers, visit the Department of Homeland Security.

As always, hiring top talent is essential to the success of your business, and our team is here to help you find the right people with unmatched expertise. 

Let’s collaborate today to fill your open positions. We are ready to source your next top performer for continued business success.