CEO argues for expansion of H-1B visa program to fill manufacturing skills gap

Mitch Free, CEO of Zyci CNC Machining, an Atlanta-based CNC machining, plastic molding and 3D printing business, has a problem shared by many of you—finding skilled labor—and it’s hurting his business. “The limiting factor to growth for me is not customers, it’s not capital,” Free told PlasticsToday. “It’s finding skilled talent.” Free thinks one solution might be expanding the scope of H-1B visas to include highly skilled manufacturing personnel.

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers with specialized knowledge. Silicon Valley makes extensive use of the program, but “guest workers” are also active in the biotechnology, engineering, mathematics, healthcare and other industries. You just won’t find them in manufacturing, because “H-1B is designed for people with advanced degrees,” says Free. “Someone who does CNC machining, for example, would not have an advanced degree. That’s a craft,” says Free, and that’s the problem.

Frustrated by not being able to fill vacant positions at his company, Free decided to do a test by running an ad in Taiwan. “I got incredible resumes from skilled CNC machinists who would like to work in the United States. The skill set is out there, and I think it would be interesting if we allowed highly skilled people in manufacturing to come to America for a limited period of time,” says Free. He is adamant that this program should not be used to displace U.S. workers and that the “guest workers” would be paid the same as their U.S. counterparts performing the same job.

Free is quick to point out that he “hasn’t completely thought this through” and that there may be avenues other than the H-1B program to tackle this problem. He also is acutely aware that the notion of bringing foreign workers to the United States is fairly toxic in the current political environment. “When I talk to my peers about it, they think it’s a fresh approach and they like the idea, but they are concerned about the optics. It’s a tough story to sell to the general public right now,” he acknowledges.

Donald Trump, of course, came out against the H-1B program before “changing” his position and ultimately stating, “We need highly skilled people in this country.” But it was Disney that, arguably, did irreperable damage when it laid off IT staff and had them replaced with cheaper foreign workers brought in under the H-1B program. Adding insult to injury, it incentivized the soon-to-be laid-off workers to train their replacements.

That was deplorable, agrees Free. “This program should not be used to displace U.S. workers. It should only be used when you truly have a shortage and need to fill a gap.

“I would love to hire American talent, but it’s hard to find and very much in demand,” says Free, stressing that this is not a wage issue. “I and everyone I know are paying good money for skilled talent.

“When all those manufacturing jobs in tool making, moldmaking and CNC machining went to China, Taiwan and Malyasia, they developed a tremendous skill set, while that same skill set eroded in America,” says Free. “Let’s bring some of those skill sets back and learn from them.”

There’s no denying that advanced manufacturing in the United States is struggling to find qualified personnel. And while enlightened companies and educational establishments across the country are collaborating on training young people for careers in advanced manufacturing, it will be several years before there will be enough skilled personnel to meet demand. Is an expansion of the H-1B program, or the implementation of something similar, a viable solution? Tell us what you think by voting in the poll in the right-hand column or leaving a comment below.