Cross-training workers and finding talent were among the topics discussed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s most recent Manufacturers’ Council meeting, which was hosted by local manufacturer AAON.

Brian Miller, of Midwest Precision, Inc., was among the roughly 30 manufacturing representatives who attended the gathering. He sees a talent deficit across many industries.

“It’s everywhere, whether it’s at McDonald’s or at the receiving department,”Miller said of workforce depletion. “It’s really hurting us all.”

Midwest Precision, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, has added a fourth shift for part-time workers, Miller said.

AAON’s Jennifer Overmeyer, 2023 Manufacturers’ Council chair, and other council members spoke highly of cross-training employees.

“Cross-training is huge,” she said. “I’ve always said, ‘Give me somebody with a personality because I can train them to do anything but have a personality.’ Give me somebody with a drive or a passion, and I’ll teach them how to do any stinkin’ thing we’ve got here.”

AAON’s Larry Honel said his company embraces diversity. A total of 32 dialects are spoken on the shop floor at AAON, which also offers English-as-a-second-language classes, he said.

The council meeting also featured a presentation from Jason Hudson of the Oklahoma Department of Labor. Hudson, who heads the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration consultation service, detailed the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), which offers up to a two-year exemption from an OSHA inspection.

Only 15 Oklahoma companies are SHARP-certified, he said.

The meeting was sponsored by Forvis.