Skilled workers needed for shale jobs - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Manufacturing in the Valley is seeing a resurgence, some of it led by the preparation for oil and gas drilling.

And with the growth comes a need for skilled tradesmen. But many companies are having a difficult time finding people who are prepared to fill those positions.

BOC Water Hydraulics in Salem has been growing consistently. Last year they saw growth of 30 to 40 percent.

But the manufacturer of specialty water hydraulics equipment says there's a major concern looming, not only for their future growth but for all manufacturers in the region.

"If all the manufacturers in this area would all be out looking for skilled tradesman at the same time we'd have a serious, serious labor problem," said Todd Olson from BOC Water Hydraulics.

David Hughes with Specialty Fab in North Lima also sees the shortage in skilled labor.

And as the oil and gas industry grows here it will only make the problem worse because it will start to pull skilled tradesman from other industries and further deplete the available labor pool.

"It's going to affect that labor pool and we may end up losing some people to those fields," Hughes said.

Specialty Fab and BOC are two of the more than 30 companies that have joined together to try to address the issue. They've formed a group called the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition and their main goal is to get the Valley's educational resources and professional training resources working together now to get people ready for what's to come.

Olson says if we wait even three or four years it may be too late. "If we don't have the skilled tradesmen to fill the orders business will go elsewhere."

And that could lead to the Valley losing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.