Labor shortage pinches growth

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By DEBBIE CARVALKO


Connecticut Post

TRUMBULL | September 28, 2000 -- Robert Merritt sums up the statewide worker shortage from his Trumbull office of Cameca Instruments Inc.

"We've been looking for a field service engineer for six months," the company treasurer said from the firm that makes spectrometers and microanalyzers.

Nearly one in three firms statewide knows the dilemma and is finding its growth challenged by a lack of workers, according to a poll released Wednesday by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association.

Nearly one third the 336 firms that responded said the worker shortage is "significantly" hurting their ability to maintain or grow. Another 26 percent said the impact is "moderate."

Connecticut's jobless rate is near a record 2.5 percent low.

"It's been across all industries and all sections of the state," CBIA economist Peter M. Gioia said.

Information technology, production and entry level positions are most needed, he said.

"We're short in just about every type of worker," said Todd Capute, manager at Express Personnel Service in Fairfield.

He gets the most calls from firms for office and light industrial workers.

"If someone comes in looking for either of those jobs, we can place them immediately," Capute said.

"We even have standing orders from one place to send them two people a week," he added.

Capute said his agency has had to develop incentives to keep that order filled.

"We give people $25 if they refer a friend and that friend works for at least 80 hours."