Julian Cornwall, 17, has options. Twelve job offers, for starters.

Julian Cornwall, a 17-year-old junior in the Butler Tech precision machine program at Colerain Career Center, has a big decision ahead of him.

Companies looked at his portfolio, his shop samples and talked to his instructor about his work during a Jan. 19 skills competition.

He had 11 job offers in hand when a trio of executives from the Feintool Group stopped by his machine to talk to him. When they left, his options had increased by another offer.

"We watch them work, we look at the projects, talk to the instructor to get input," said Bobby Selmeyer, a machine tool automation programmer at Feintool. "We are looking for kids who have the basic skills, can read a blueprint, and we are really interested in attendance. That's important."

Cornwell, a low-key guy, is looking too.

"If you work hard it pays off" 

I always loved building things. That's what I want to do. Knowing that I can make this from a hunk of metal with my own hands is awesome. All these offers? I wasn't expecting that. I haven't even told my mom. Now I plan to do some research and take some tours. I want to see who's going to offer me the best experience, help me get where I want to be.

Career tech wasn't even on his radar until he visited the career center at Colerain High School. "I had no idea this was even offered. Before, when I thought about college, I thought maybe I could get a scholarship; I play football."

He's on the Northwest football team and has played since he was in the second grade. He says football taught him valuable lessons.

"I learned if you work hard, it pays off. I still have college in my plan," he said. "This feels like I am skipping ahead a step."

His mom Sharon Scott was admittedly skeptical of the machine program initially but said she was convinced because her son had done the research and was able to defend his choice.

"You want your children to love what they do. It was hard because my two older ones took the traditional path to college. He did his homework on this, and it's a smart way to think," she said.

"Now, I'm all for it."

Draft day for students

Representatives from more than 17 companies visited the work floor at the machining program Jan. 19 to watch students follow blueprints to produce machine parts.

Students were competing for a spot in the Skills USA regional competition, which could allow them to eventually represent their school at the state and national level.

The manufacturing reps were engaged in a different competition: They need workers and these students may be the workers they need. Manufacturers have lots of jobs and not enough skilled workers to fill them. This is one way to jump the skills gap. Get them young, train them right.

It's like NFL draft day for students.

There were more than 17 firms at the competition recruiting the 15 current junior class members for a total of 30 open positions. All of the students may get jobs, but all of the companies can't get workers.

A different path to college

Instructor Dave Fox, a 1986 graduate of the school's vocational program, worked in the manufacturing industry before he became a teacher. He knows the success of the career tech path to college firsthand. He's a believer. He'd like to see enrollment grow from the present 30 students to 50 students, with 25 juniors and 25 seniors.

Most of the current seniors have jobs that they've been at since last year. Of the 15 juniors, 13 get offers, most get more than one. And the two who don't get offers are held back by the lack of a driver's license.

"When they take care of that, I expect the offers will come," Fox said.

And the offers are good. Some will result in apprenticeships, others get co-ops for their senior year, and all pay a good wage and come with benefits. Benefits like tuition remission and retention bonuses.

Phil Perdue, an engineering supervisor with Eagle Manufacturers in Florence, Kentucky, says these jobs pay good money for people coming straight out of high school.

"$40,000 a year is not out of reach," he said. "And for those who stick with it, six figures is possible. We want to invest in our employees on the floor. There's opportunity. The best people I've ever employed have come up from the floor. They have a depth of knowledge. They know what works."

Manufacturing matters

Gavin Tebbe, 19, who graduated from the program two years ago, is working with Magna Machine, a Forest Park manufacturing company. 

"My parents weren't sure, dad in particular," he said. "He kept saying 'You are better than that.' He wanted me to go straight to college. But it's my life, my decision." 

A good decision, it turns out. He loves the work.

"I always liked to work with my hands," he said. "And I am not disappointed. I take a piece of metal and make it something we can use. And I see the impact what we do has on the whole country. That feels great and I didn't anticipate that at all."

He says the work is interesting. His company makes mixer parts for Krispy Kreme, roller coaster parts and tracks for Disney and Ferrari World, parts for the aerospace industry, the military and a host of other industries. "It's always something new," he said.

And he says he's getting on with his life at a quicker pace than his peers. "I have a job and can pay my bills. I just bought a new car. Other 19-year-olds are working part-time and racking up debt at school. I still plan to go to college and pursue mechanical engineering but tuition reimbursement will pay for it."

Schools and manufacturers are hoping parents will clue in. 

"There is a huge demand for skilled machinists in Greater Cincinnati," said Michael Beauchat, Butler Tech supervisor of school and public relations. "For our students, starting wages out of high school can be in the $17 to $18 per hour range, and many of the manufacturers are willing to also pay for their college because demand for workers is so strong right now."

The skills gap is real

The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte have been studying the impact and extent of the skills gap. At the present pace, the industry faces a worker shortage of about 2 million over the next decade. The retirement of baby boomers, the strength of the economy and attractiveness of the industry are ranked among leading factors leading to the talent shortage.

There are two gaps at work. The first is the shortage of skilled workers to fill the jobs manufacturers need. The other is the perception of the industry as a viable career choice.

The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte partnered to produce the Public Perception Index that measures public opinion on a range of issues affecting manufacturing.

First published in 2009, the index has shown that while the public supports the manufacturing industry, parents are unwilling to encourage their children to pursue careers in manufacturing and believe the government has not enacted policies supportive of the manufacturing sector.

Changing perceptions is key

Beauchat said Butler Tech and other career tech programs have work to do. "We are trying to raise awareness for counselors so students learn about the program, and we are using open house opportunities to talk about the successes of these programs to parents," he said. "Career days are a chance to help introduce students to the possibilities in these programs.The message has to change. We have companies lining up to hire these students."