At Ricaurte Precision Inc., we believe that workforce development is one of the most important investments any precision machining company can make. It’s not just about hiring skilled workers; it’s about building a sustainable talent pipeline from the ground up.
We don’t wait for prospective team members to come to us; we meet them where they are by getting involved with local high schools and higher education institutions. That means showing students what modern manufacturing is all about: hands-on training, sophisticated technology, and the kind of real-world experience that prepares them for meaningful careers in our fast-paced industry.
Where the Gaps Are, and How We Can Fill Them
In our ongoing mission to grow our talent pool, the RPI team regularly participates in university and community college job fairs across Southern California. While engaging with scores of bright, motivated students, we can’t help but feel inspired by their energy and interest in advanced manufacturing.
However, while these conversations are resoundingly positive, they also underscore a deep need for stronger alignment between academic training and real-world manufacturing practices. Many of the students we meet with have a strong theoretical understanding of the industry, but we have found some common knowledge gaps:
- Limited exposure to Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), which is essential for interpreting engineering drawings in any precision machine shop.
- Minimal familiarity with ERP systems, which serve as the backbone of scheduling, quoting, compliance, and operational efficiency.
- A general curiosity about artificial intelligence, but little understanding of how AI is applied in real-world manufacturing environments.
This isn’t a critique of higher education; rather, it’s a call for collaboration. Universities and community colleges are doing important work. But to truly prepare students for jobs in precision machining, they need more exposure to real-world tools and software.
How RPI Is Supporting Workforce Development
At RPI, we don’t just talk about what we can do to engage and educate the next generation of machinists and engineers; we actively invest in workforce development opportunities. Here’s how:
Engaging with Local Institutions
We regularly speak at job fairs, curriculum review panels, and classroom presentations. Our talks cover everything from explorations of the history of manufacturing to critical information students need to know about working for a contract manufacturer versus at an OEM.
We also help educators understand the skill sets that really matter in a modern manufacturing environment, like reading GD&T, navigating an ERP interface, and understanding the principles of lights-out manufacturing.
Promoting Internal Upskilling
Continuous improvement only happens through continuous education. When we implement a new tool or technology, we revisit workflows and elevate our internal training to ensure it is topical and engaging.
One upskilling opportunity that we’ve found particularly valuable in our ongoing GD&T training combines learning and collaboration with some healthy competition. Every week, we group our people into teams and have these teams go head-to-head in challenging GD&T quizzes. With the priceless prize of bragging rights on the line, our people take this work seriously. It’s part technical training, part team-building, and all in service of creating a smarter, more capable workforce.
Leveraging Technology for Training
One of the coolest things about RPI—and there are a lot!—is that our facilities have more monitors than people. Visibility is the key to efficiency, and our tech stack not only supports our production processes but also our access to online learning opportunities. With monitors next to every machine and a limitless supply of educational resources on YouTube, our people can continue learning outside the confines of a classroom.
Looking Ahead: Apprenticeships, Partnerships, and More
We’ve taken great strides in workforce development, and we’re not stopping here. Our vision includes launching formal apprenticeship programs, sponsoring employee certifications, and continuing to work closely with educational institutions to ensure alignment between what students are taught and what the industry demands.
What RPI’s Workforce Development Efforts Mean for You
At RPI, our ability to solve our customers’ complex problems comes down to the skill and expertise of our people. Whether we’re machining complex manifolds, producing highly complex aerospace and defense components, or delivering tight-tolerance CNC machined parts, the quality of our work is only as good as the team behind it.
Workforce development isn’t just a way for us to engage in our community; it’s a competitive advantage in our long-term success. Plus, the better trained our workforce, the better we can deliver outcomes for our customers.
Ready to partner with a precision machine shop that puts education, innovation, and continuous improvement at the center of everything we do? Request a quote from RPI to start working with our exceptional team.
