Manufacturing leaders praise new SPC soldering program, more workers needed

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — There is a huge push to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and local Tampa Bay companies are growing their workforces to meet that goal. 

Jabil, a multinational manufacturing company headquartered in St. Pete, is doing this. 

“To make manufacturing more accessible in the U.S., we have to reteach the skills that we’ve lost,” Frederic McCoy said. McCoy is the Jabil Executive Vice President of Global Operations. “You know, there’s been a 20 years of migration of manufacturing out of this country and we really need to rebuild the manufacturing skills around planning and purchasing and soldering, and all the other skills that are required to to run a world class manufacturing operation.”

Recently, St. Petersburg College launched a new soldering course, with all 12 students being hired upon completion of the course. 

Mariah O’Neal was one of them and loves soldering. 

“It’s hands on. That is what my favorite thing is,” O’Neal said. 

She just got a job at Jabil as a solder technician assembler, working for aerospace and defense. 

“Once I get to solder, I just immersed myself into it,” O’Neal said. 

O’Neal graduated from SPC’s Tarpon Springs campus. 

“This class is important because it lays the foundation for anyone to just get their foot in the door in these major manufacturing companies,” Keith Walker said. Walker is a St. Petersburg College Tarpon Springs Campus Master IPC Trainer. 

Walker taught the class and works for Honeywell. He said the soldering program is necessary right now. 

“We’re going to be able to essentially help close the gap. A gap that’s been developing in our area in manufacturing for years,” Walker said. 

“Finding skilled workers today has been quite difficult,” McCoy said. “You know, the economy has shifted here in the U.S. and, it’s now shifting back towards more manufacturing from services. We’re excited to enable that.” 

Jabil, for example, said it will be doubling the size of its business in Pinellas County from a manufacturing standpoint over the next 12 to 18 months. They will be having a big focus on renewable energies, defense and aerospace and energy storage markets. 

“Bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. has presented a lot of challenges,” McCoy said. “We just don’t have the expertise, the supply chain and the management understanding of how to manufacture at scale, like we used to do. So rebuilding those skills is critical for us and for our customers and for, I think, the U.S. economy.” 

This is something O’Neal will be on the forefront of in her new role. 

“It’s very rewarding coming from a program that you can finish within six months and be able to come out and do something that you love,” O’Neal said. 

McCoy added that the partnership with SPC is the first step. They are working with SPC on automation and technical training courses as well. 

SPC said there are scholarships available for the soldering program.