Volt Services Seeks Employees For High-Tech, Industrial Clients

Tina Swanneck will attend the Career Fair in hopes of meeting folks with experience in electronic assembly.

“Actually, we’re always looking in all categories,” said Swanneck, branch manager of Volt Temporary Services, a staffing agency that serves the high-tech and industrial communities.

“We manage the placement of people in areas like industrial assembly, administration, accounting and human resources, ” she explained. Swanneck can help a company in a couple of different ways. She may work with the human resources department in its search for qualified personnel to fill permanent positions, or it may provide temporary workers to meet short-term demand.

And though Volt is identified with its temporary placement services, Swanneck said that’s somewhat misleading these days.

“It’s kind of a misnomer, because about 70 percent of our placements are temporary or temp-to-hire, while 30 percent is direct. There’s a shift toward direct placement, but that’s a business direction on our part.”

But as long as the electronics industry retains its strong presence in the Spokane area, Swanneck will likely always have plenty of demand for her temp and temp-to-hire services.

Demand in that industry for skilled workers tends to be dynamic, she said: “the employment picture in the electronics industry changes every other month.”

In today’s just-in-time world, in which large companies cut costs by ordering inventory only as it’s needed, vendors must be able to react quickly, which can lead to a roller coaster ride of employment.

Rather than locate and place workers on their own, many companies count on agencies like Volt to supply the large numbers of qualified workers needed on a short-term basis.

This phenomenon has been exacerbated by a recent slowdown in the electronics business, she said. “Because of the economics of the situation, a lot of companies want to maintain flexibility, and they do it through temporary agencies, with contingent and contract staffing.”

Swanneck explained that temporary work has other advantages, to both company and worker.

“It’s an opportunity for the company to try out the worker, and vice versa.”

A temporary position, even if it’s not labeled temp-to-hire, can help a worker get a foot in the door of a desired employer.

“It may be an inroad into that company that is not hiring direct,” said Swanneck. “And in the short-term, even if it doesn’t turn into a job, it’s an opportunity to get in and build knowledge and get some experience.”

The summer months traditionally give temporary workers an opportunity to get some hours in, as full-time employees take vacation.

“There is some ramp-up during the summer months, especially in administration.”

There is increased demand for companies like Swanneck’s during times like these, when unemployment is low: “Commitment and reliability are hard to find when the unemployment rate is low.”

When Volt identifies a potential worker whose skills may be a little rusty, it lends a hand with in-house training programs.

“We teach basic electronics knowledge and we do some soldering training, so people can brush up on their skills. We work with them on skills like through-hole and surface-mount.

“We will also put basic electronic candidates through that training so they understand what they are looking at when they do inspections.”

Volt prefers candidates with experience in the field, but “we have seen some people come through, who are maybe just out of high school and haven’t had a job before.

“We can look at those people, see what their baseline skills are through testing and check their references. If there is some way we can get a reference on those people and if they are skilled in other necessary ways, it’s a possibility that we can put them to work.”

Often, that entails placement in a short-term position, but it can be the first step toward a career, Swanneck said.

“My feeling is that if people are flexible and are willing to look at things creatively, they can find opportunities out there.”

It depends on the category of employment, she said, “but some people may be turning down opportunities which might be good in the long-term.

“In administration, for example, if you prove yourself, you may be able to take on more responsibility and move into other areas where you might be able to experience real career growth.”

Volt can help improve the odds of that happening, by creating good matches between employers and employees, she said.