System integrator: Recruiting partnership provides off-shoring alternative
-- Control Engineering, 7/3/2008
Columbia, IL – At a time when recruiting those with engineering skills is becoming an increasing concern, system integrator Maverick Technologies expanded its operations through the use of its Project Support Center (PSC) recruiting program. The recruiting program may have kept a Maverick client from looking offshore for lower cost engineering skills.Two Ranken Technical College graduates joined the Maverick Technologies PSC recruiting partnership program, which launched in January to fill temporary-to-hire positions at Maverick with qualified Ranken graduates. Ranken is located in St. Louis, MO, less than 15 miles from Maverick world headquarters. The PSC program serves one of Maverick’s largest clients, a global food manufacturer, and projects there require a large amount of base-level work. Maverick says it says the PSC team may support other projects as Maverick seeks to develop additional relationships with other U.S. colleges and universities.
Alternative to off-shoring: Support for the program is plentiful, says Maverick’s Mike Gavin, north region manager, who began the program with Jason Montroy, program manager. They expect a doubling by summer’s end and additional expansion by year end. The program aims to expand the company’s services and reclaim the base-level, high-volume work that the food manufacturing client had been outsourcing to a third-party offshore company at a low cost.
Gavin and Montroy visited several universities and career fairs in the Midwest in search of people with the right qualifications to perform the work domestically and cost-efficiently. When they heard about Ranken’s two-year, engineering-focused associate degree program, they met with the instructors and toured the college’s labs. Ranken's program provides graduates with experience in base-level HMI and PLC programming, graphics generation and application testing, and auditing.
“We would much rather help these local new graduates develop their skills through real-world experience instead of sending those business opportunities overseas. Keeping these jobs in the United States makes project collaboration and workflow easier while helping the domestic economy,” says Paul J. Galeski, Maverick CEO and founder.
How it was done: Gavin gave a formal presentation at the school, announcing the PSC program, and Maverick received numerous applications. Gavin has also been invited to join Ranken’s advisory board meetings, where he offers information about changes in the field and the general market outlook so that the school can make curriculum enhancements as needed. The school also provides Maverick with feedback on helping recent graduates transition successfully from the academic setting to the business world. Ranken’s vice president for education, John Wood, says “We want all our graduates to find gainful employment and succeed in their careers. Maverick provides a rich opportunity for our students, and we look forward to growing the relationship.”
In separate June announcement, Maverick said it opened a new office in Oosterhout, the Netherlands, in conjunction with partner, Zi-Argus. Bob Nunes Cardozo will serve as commercial manager of Europe at the Oosterhout location, and be a dual employee of Maverick and of Zi-Argus. Cardozo’s responsibilities will include leading sales and business development across Europe. Most recently, Cardozo worked as key account manager and global account manager for Rockwell Automation.
– Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor in chief
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