How to Use Social Media to Attract Youth to Manufacturing

If you’re looking to attract youth to jobs in manufacturing, it helps to speak their language.

If you’re looking to prove to youthful workers that Ontario manufacturing is an exciting, creative and growing field, or to show that your factories are clean and full of cutting-edge technology, but your company isn’t active on social media, young workers might not be so inclined to believe you.

When done effectively, social media can showcase company culture and values. You can create a positive brand association with young workers, thereby encouraging them to join the industry.

How to Use Social Media for Manufacturing:

Instagram is especially popular with the youngest workers. Workers 18-24 clearly prefer Instagram to other social media, but they also use social media in general more than any age group. You can use this to your advantage by scheduling regular content to be released on Instagram. The 18-24 age range is when students are graduating from high school and post-secondary education and are looking to enter the workforce. So posting images that showcase your clean factories and supportive work environments can go a long way to forging instant work relationships with youth who are second guessing post-secondary, or looking for a good job while they deliberate on important life choices, or looking for a career to settle in.
Facebook is a must for any social media campaign. Though Facebook has undergone some controversies in recent years, and is often accused of being out of vogue, it is still popular with all age groups, and is mandatory for any company, manufacturing or otherwise, to have. 79% of people used Facebook in 2016, which still puts it far ahead of the other social media platforms. A company without a Facebook page will simply not be taken seriously. It’s like having an office building without the company’s name or logo visible. Or like not having your company listed in the phone book.

Because Facebook is so ubiquitous, it is the main social hub for talking with your employees, engaging in industry conversations, reaching new clients or keeping in touch with old ones, and boosting your community presence. Facebook is also an excellent place to get in touch with international manufacturing customers. Believe it or not, 85% of Facebook’s daily users are from countries other than the U.S. Other social media pages are optional to some extent, (although more is always better, as long as you can keep them populated with content) but you absolutely must have a Facebook presence.
Consider posting job and internship offers over social media. Over 64% of recent grads have searched for a job using their phones. Posting jobs or keeping in touch with interested parties as they go through school can help secure their employment once they graduate. An engaging and organic social media presence can attract younger demographics to manufacturing. 86% of people aged 18-29 use social media. If you have a positive web presence on a platform that appeals to them, and you are already approaching them with job offers before they graduate, most young workers will be incredibly tempted to join the manufacturing industry. Using social media to offer attractive employment opportunities to new grads (with job stability and benefits) can be an incredibly effective way to communicate with young workers; since it’s on their preferred turf, it shows you care.

Attract the Next Generation of Manufacturing Talent

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