Turnover is expensive. You already know this. Each time someone leaves through the door, you’re losing more than an employee. You’re throwing away the time and money you invested in recruiting them, the weeks or months you spent training them up, and the productivity they finally delivered just before they quit. Replacing a worker costs between 16 to 20 percent of the worker’s salary, say experts. That’s $8,000 to $10,000 wasted for a skilled machinist earning at a rate of $50,000 a year.
But here’s something that many manufacturers overlook: one of the best ways to lower turnover isn’t more extravagant benefits or higher starting wages. It’s comprehensive workforce training. And in Southeast Volusia, we have the infrastructure for training that will help you develop and cultivate the skilled workforce that ultimately stays.
The Real Reasons People Leave (Hint: It’s Not Just Money)
Now before we get into the details of how training really helps address turnover, let’s be frank about why workers leave manufacturing jobs in the first place.
Yes, sometimes it’s about pay. But mostly it’s about this stuff:
They feel backed into a corner with no way forward. They’re bored doing the same basic stuff with no chance to learn or grow. They feel undervalued and uninvested in. They have better opportunities elsewhere where they see potential for skill development and career growth.
Notice a pattern? Most of these reasons come back directly to development and growth opportunities, or a lack of them. This is where workforce training can be your secret weapon to retention.
Trained Workers Are Engaged Workers
When you put the time and money into training your employees, things change. They begin to stop thinking of themselves as interchangeable cogs in a machine and start thinking of themselves as valued professionals with real careers.
Consider it from their viewpoint. You are paying for them to earn certifications, learn new technologies and develop skills that make them a more valuable employee. That investment is a powerful signal: we believe in you, we are invested in your future, and we want you here for the long haul.
That sort of training is what the Southeast Volusia Manufacturing and Technology Coalition coordinates with partners such as Daytona State College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and CareerSource Flagler Volusia. These aren’t generic programs. They are tailored with input from local employers to teach the exact skills manufacturers want.
Employee engagement skyrockets when employees see their company partnering with respected institutions to help them develop their abilities. And engaged employees don’t leave.
Training Builds Career Ladders (Not Dead Ends)
A typical example: You recruit someone for an entry level role. They do good work. One year goes by, then two, then three. They’re still in the same role doing the same things because, after all, that’s the job you hired them to do. After a while, they become restless and begin to look around.
Now imagine a different scenario: You bring on someone for an entry level role. In six months, they are enrolled in an apprenticeship program or short-term certification course. They’re learning CNC programming, advanced welding, robotics operation or quality control systems. After a year in the workforce they’ve earned new credentials and graduated into a more skilled, higher-paid position. After two years, they’re training newer employees. In three years, they’re a team lead or supervisor.
Which of these two employees do you think is more likely to remain employed?
Training programs provide clear pathways toward careers. Employees can see precisely how they go from where they are to where they want to be, and they can see your organization is actively assisting them in getting there. That clarity and support makes it a lot less appealing to quit.
Registered apprenticeship programs in Southeast Volusia are designed to establish these paths. Manufacturers can collaborate with CareerSource Flagler Volusia to formulate custom apprenticeship programs that cater to their unique requirements, empowering employees with structured paths toward career progression.
Skilled Workers Are Satisfied at Work (Unskilled Ones Have Jobs)
There is a world of difference between being employed and having a career you excel at.
Highly skilled workers in their trade take pride in what they do. They solve problems independently. They suggest improvements. They take ownership of quality. This is not only good for your operations, it makes sense for their mental wellbeing and work satisfaction as well.
On the flip side, employees who are unskilled or untrained often experience increased frustration. They know they are not living up to their potential. They need constant supervision. They make mistakes they don’t know how to correct. That frustration compounds over time until the person either gets fired or resigns.
SEVMTC encourages vocational training and apprenticeship programs that provide workers with practical experience on the actual tools, systems, and processes used in the workplace. This hands-on learning allows them to develop true competence, true confidence, and true satisfaction in their work.
The result? Less turnover because people are truly liking what they do and feel competent in it.
Training Signals Investment (And People Return Investment)
Here’s something about human psychology: when somebody invests in us, we feel obliged to return the investment. It’s called reciprocity, and it’s potent.
Investing in an employee’s training, certification or apprenticeship program sends the message that you’re placing a bet on them. Most people don’t want to take that investment and walk away almost instantly. They feel a sense of loyalty and a responsibility to stay on in order to show the investment was money well spent.
This is particularly true for longer-term training programs, such as registered apprenticeships. A worker who is two years into a four-year apprenticeship program isn’t going to leave before completing it. Through the very structure of the program itself, you’ve basically built in retention.
CareerSource Flagler Volusia even provides on-the-job training funds that reimburse employers for a significant portion of training wages. You’re getting financial backing to help you invest in your people, which boosts retention ROI even more.
Cross-Training Prevents Boredom and Burnout
Monotony kills motivation. People mentally check out when they perform the same tasks day in and day out, month after month. This inevitably leads to errors and decreased engagement, which over time can cause turnover.
Cross-training helps to solve this problem as well as making your operation more agile. When you train employees across different areas, they’re able to rotate between roles, fill in where needed and keep their minds active.
Manufacturing companies in Southeast Volusia can partner with area training providers to develop cross-training programs that keep workers engaged while creating a more skilled and flexible workforce. Customized training is available from Daytona State College’s Center for Business and Industry, with programs that can be easily adjusted to fit your individual operational needs.
Upskilling Helps You Stay Competitive (And Retains Employees)
Manufacturing technology doesn’t stand still. New equipment, new processes, new software, CNC systems, robotics, automation and data analytics. If your employees do not learn about these emerging technologies, two things happen:
Your business lags behind competitors adopting new tech. Your best employees are recruited away by employers that offer relevant skill development.
Both problems are mitigated with ongoing training programs. In Southeast Volusia, short-term credentialing programs allow employees to gain expertise rapidly in emerging technologies. This keeps your operation nimble while keeping your workforce engaged and marketable.
And here’s the kicker: If your workers are gaining cutting-edge skills at your company, they’re less likely to leave because they’re already receiving what they’d need to go elsewhere for.
Early Training Helps New Hires Stick Around
A lot of turnover occurs in the first 90 days. New hires come in, discover that the role isn’t what they thought it would be or they aren’t prepared to do a great job and they’re gone before you even have time to recoup your hiring costs.
Structured onboarding and training programs significantly decrease this early turnover. When new hires have a clear training plan from day one, they feel supported rather than thrown into the deep end. They develop competence rapidly and with that comes confidence. And they know from day one that your company is willing to invest in employee development.
The talent pipeline in Southeast Volusia offers candidates who are job-ready and have already participated in relevant training programs. When you hire from these pipelines through partnerships with Daytona State College or Embry-Riddle, you’re hiring people who already have foundational skills and are ready to build upon them.
The Bottom Line: Training Is a Form of Retention Insurance
For every dollar invested in workforce training, you are insuring against turnover costs. It’s not just a cost, it’s an investment that yields dividends in:
Lower hiring costs because you’re not always replacing someone. Lower training costs for new employees, as your current workforce remains longer. More productive, experienced workers who know how to do their jobs. Higher-quality work from individuals proud of their craft. Enhanced corporate culture revolving around growth and development. More competitive operations as your employee base can implement new technologies.
Training in Southeast Volusia opens the door to training infrastructure that many areas lack. You have the opportunity to work together with an ecosystem of educational institutions, workforce development organizations and employer-driven programs to actually develop the skilled, stable workforce that you need.
How to Get Started with Training Programs in Southeast Volusia
If you’re serious about combating turnover through workforce development, here’s where to begin:
Contact CareerSource Flagler Volusia to learn about apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training reimbursement opportunities.
Contact Daytona State College’s Center for Business and Industry to discuss tailor-made training programs that can be designed specifically around the needs of your operation.
Contact SEVMTC to see how other manufacturers in this region create stable workforces through training programs.
Engage in employer surveys and focus groups to inform the design of training programs that address your real skill needs.
Consider bringing some internships or apprentices on board to create your talent pipeline while you vet potential long-term hires.
The training infrastructure exists. The funding support is available. The education partners are prepared to assist you. All that’s missing is your commitment to turn workforce development into a retention strategy, not an afterthought.
Your Turnover Problem Has a Training Solution
You could keep throwing money at the recruitment process, hoping that the next hire will be the one who doesn’t move on. Or you can invest in training the talent you have into skilled professionals who want to stay with your company.
In Southeast Volusia, those resources are here today. Registered apprenticeships, company-specific training, short-term credentialing programs, on-the-job training assistance. Everything is available, and everything is built based on manufacturer input to deliver real business outcomes.
Turnover doesn’t have to be your normal. Training can change that.
Are you ready to decrease turnover and create a stable, skilled workforce? Contact the Southeast Volusia Manufacturing and Technology Coalition at www.sevolusia.com to find out about workforce training programs that help keep your best people where they belong: on your team.