Best in terms of efficiency for you or best in terms of business ethics?
Unfortunately, it seems the only good way from an efficiency standpoint is to steal them from competitors!
Ethically you could recruit at job fairs and websites like Monster.com, AutomationTechies.com or other similar. But realistically that has not worked well for me. Last year I posted an opening on Monster for a drive and soft starter technician and got over 2700 responses, of which only 15 had any direct experience with drives or motor control, and NONE of them wanted to travel. They were mostly propeller-heads looking to get out of the now non-lucrative "high-tech" bit tweaker marketplace.
The military is OK as long as you are willing to "deprogram" them from thinking that whatever branch they were in had all the right answers and there is no questioning that fact. Their experience is less direct as to drives and PLCs, but they are usually fast learners and already understand how to think on their feet, a great quality in the field. We got a great guy from the Navy, but for the longest time we had trouble with his understanding of the concept of "grounding".
"Venditori de oleum-vipera non vigere excordis populi"
Your problem is you want instant gratification. That, and most employers don't have the foggiest idea how to interview. They always want someone with exactly "fill in the blank" experience. They don't want to risk their own ability to select potential in an employee. Just who is supposed to be training all these people for you?
Finding experienced people in any field requires a particular degree of experience in that field. Without that background it really is a crapshoot. Most employers don't have any idea at all how to interview and it is almost embarrassing to be at one anymore. If you have a background in something, you get to where you can "smell experience or potential talent", I know that sounds mystic; but, it's true.
Operahouse hit the nail on the head when he said that the problem is that industry is seeking immediate gratification to the point that it seeks people trained specifically for them; now, who would do that, and why?
Boy you guys!!! Wish I knew how to find people like you. I've got verifyable motors/drives/controls/PLC experience plus...I would love to travel. I'm not trying to solicit anyone here for a job but where is a good place to look?
jc - did you check out the back of Electrical Apparatus magazine? Lots of ads there for motor shop personnel, although probably not as much related to drives/plc's.
=====================================
Eng-tips forums: The best place on the web for engineering discussions.
