Episode #24
Building the Skilled Trades Workforce for the Future of Material Handling
Camp Jennings and Scott Smith sit down for a conversation about the growth of Henry North and the launch of American Automation Techs and American Forklift Techs, two new divisions focused on one of the material handling industry's most pressing challenges: finding the skilled technical talent required to keep increasingly complex equipment running. As Henry North has grown from a small startup into a team of more than a dozen people, Camp and Scott reflect on what they have learned about scaling a business, building culture, and experiencing firsthand many of the same talent challenges their clients face. In this conversation, Camp and Scott discuss why technician recruiting has become one of the fastest growing parts of Henry North's business and why the shortage of skilled tradespeople is creating challenges throughout material handling and industrial automation. With experienced technicians retiring, fewer young people entering the trades, and equipment becoming more technologically advanced, companies are increasingly competing for a limited pool of people who possess both mechanical ability and sophisticated technical expertise. The discussion also explores how American Automation Techs and American Forklift Techs are designed to connect employers with the specialized talent they need. Camp and Scott explain why aftermarket service and support are essential to the success of equipment manufacturers, dealers, integrators, and end users, and why technician shortages can directly limit growth, customer service, and revenue. They also discuss the expanding role of automation technicians, who increasingly need to combine hands on mechanical skills with advanced knowledge of controls, software, and complex automated systems. Along the way, Camp and Scott reflect candidly on the challenges of entrepreneurship, hiring, and scaling Henry North while outlining their ambition to build dedicated communities for the technicians, engineers, installers, and other skilled professionals who will keep the next generation of material handling technology moving. Chapters [00:00] Catching up with Camp and Scott [03:09] Growth, family, and life as entrepreneurs [04:08] Building Henry North in public [06:02] What is driving Henry North's growth [07:23] Building culture while scaling the team [08:01] The challenge of hiring at the right pace [09:14] Finding and retaining great talent [10:22] Introducing American Forklift Techs and American Automation Techs [11:07] How technician recruiting became a major part of the business [12:05] Why technicians are the lifeblood of material handling [12:50] The skilled trades labor shortage [14:10] Connecting technicians with the right employers [16:04] The growing demand for automation technicians [17:58] Building technician staffing at scale [18:38] American Forklift Techs and the service workforce [20:32] The business impact of unfilled technician positions [21:21] Why Henry North is going all in on skilled trades [22:09] Who American Automation Techs and American Forklift Techs serve [23:21] Opportunities for technicians, engineers, and industry talent [23:42] Final thoughts on the next chapter of Henry North
