Interest in certain products, like upholstered sofas and armchairs, made in the U.S. is on the rise, but the number of workers with the skills and experience needed to meet increased demand seems out of reach.
Students like Casey Pennington study for up to nine months at the academy and then are guaranteed a job at one of the participating companies. Pennington's husband is an instructor at the academy and a fifth-generation furniture maker. Casey Pennington practices sewing upholstery as a student at the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy in Newton, NC."It's in high demand," Pennington said. "I'll have less worry and more money in my pocket. It would definitely be beneficial to us."
Mike Kreidler, Bassett Furniture's VP of Upholstery, works with the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy to find skilled workers.On its recent earnings call, the company's CEO, Rob Spillman, said both the "tight labor market and the aging of the core baby boomer workforce are factors that must be dealt with, both today and for the future."
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