As a teenager, Dar’Jahn Jordan didn’t have idealistic visions of a long career in manufacturing in his future. High school welding classes were an intriguing alternative to classroom drudgery—at least at first.

“It just felt like something to do,” says Jordan. “When I got more into the work, I learned about the various opportunities in the industry.”

Dar'Jahn JordanAmong those possibilities was a press operator job at Talan Products, a tooling, metal stamping, and engineered parts producer in South Collinwood. Today, Jordan is now earning a family-sustaining wage with full benefits at Talan, and he is just a five-minute commute from home.

In his daily role, Jordan monitors equipment, builds pallets, and trains new employees on operating machinery. Jordan says he was comfortable in this job the moment he hit the shop floor.

“I got the gist of things the first day, and found my own rhythm,” Jordan recalls. “When I get done with a job, I’ll go help someone else.”

Jordan found work at Talan through the Cuyahoga County Manufacturing Sector Partnership (MSP), a coalition of educators, companies, policymakers, and workforce organizations dedicated to meeting the employment needs of local manufacturers.

Launched in 2019 by industry backers that include the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network (MAGNET), the MSP is a potential life-changer for the county’s underserved, supporters say.

MAGNET's Hough headquartersIn its seven years, the partnership has created 3,000 jobs with average annual salaries of $38,000. These positions generate more than $2 million annually in incremental income and sales tax revenue for Cuyahoga County, according to MSP officials.

Talan is a proud partner in that regional growth, both as co-creator of the sector partnership and a company with leaders who are eager to utilize its resources. In fact, Talan tapped the MSP’s signature ACCESS program for 20 to 30 entry-level hires, while harnessing MAGNET’s Early College Early Career initiative for two dozen interns.

Talan provides an instructor for the ACCESS class, where participants gain vital career-readiness and technical industry skills. The company also meets high-school students during showcase days at the MAGNET headquarters in Hough.

“We’re constantly looking at how many things we’re involved with, and what will be most impactful for us and the community,” says Talan COO Adam Snyder.

Moving on up
Talan has endured a “roller-coaster” half-decade, similar to many businesses trying to navigate in the wake of COVID-19, says Snyder.

He says that, although Talan hasn’t struggled significantly with hiring, finding technically skilled press operators and tool-and-die workers remains a challenge.

“There are not as many of those workers out there, so we’ve been committed to hiring people with general aptitude and a good attitude,” Snyder says. “Then we can teach them how to run a stamping press.”

As a founding member of the MSP, Talan officials are dedicated to breaking down the silos among regional stakeholders, adds Snyder. The endeavor is part of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s sector partnership network, which connects MAGNET and local producers to the statewide workforce effort.

Talan EmployeesSector partners are celebrating the recent jobs milestone even as they stay focused on the future workforce, notes MAGNET president and CEO Ethan Karp. In addition to launching 3,000 manufacturing careers, the initiative has reached over 8,300 students through MAGNET’s Youth Manufacturing Experience.

In the meantime, upward mobility for new employees is a critical component of the MSP, adds Karp.

“These are mostly entry-level jobs, but these people will need new skills while they move up,” he explains. “Time management, conflict resolution, and giving feedback are key to doing these jobs.” Karp adds that most of those 3,000 people in manufacturing careers are from diverse backgrounds.

“They’re changing the composition of companies,” Karp says, “so let’s build that pipeline with a diverse set of managers.”

Ongoing retirements will continue to impact a sector that, without action, could face a shortfall of 1.9 million manufacturing workers by 2033, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. Technical skills are in especially high demand, although fields like CNC will require retraining, says Karp.

For now, sector leaders are championing the job growth coming out of the MSP.

“These are 3,000 families with wages that become a multiplier effect for individuals and companies,” Karp says. “Even with the political shifts of recent times, there’s been no change in our commitment to hiring people from all over the region. The rhetoric of DEI did not play when we started this work, and doesn’t now, because it’s the right thing to do for people, businesses, and everyone benefitting from it.”

Dar’Jahn Jordan, Talan’s newly-minted press operator, continues to be thankful for the opportunity created by the innovative manufacturing partnership.

“I want to keep growing and learning,” Jordan says. “The more work I get my hands on is the more I get to know about the company.”