The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard from the National Talent Acquisition Manager for a nationwide company, during the weekly meeting at the Taylorville Moose Lodge on Tuesday.

Allison Wiley holds that title for the Pella Window Corporation, a company she’s worked for some 18 years in a variety of positions before being promoted 7 years ago.  Wiley, the daughter of Taylorville Kiwanis member Chuck Martin, shared with the club the history of the company, which has been privately held since its founding some 97 years ago, and the hiring challenges Pella is facing.

Wiley said that nationally, some 2 million total manufacturing jobs may be unfilled by 2025, so the need for labor not only at her company but in all industries, continues to be great.  She outlined how the labor shortage is affecting Pella.

She went on to share with Kiwanis members, the process Pella now uses to recruit and keep employees.  It includes offering bonuses to retired workers and employees who provide referrals, as well as phone and Zoom interviews before an offer is made.  She feels the hiring shortage is due to a combination of the tail end of the Baby Boomers retiring, people becoming comfortable working from homw due to COVID, and manufacturing no longer perceived by young people as a good career.

During Tuesday’s Kiwanis Board meeting, it was announced that the long-awaited demolition of the Kiwanis Park Pavilion floor installed in 1995, will be happening starting July 25th, with replacement following.  And, the annual Kiwanis Kids Day where Kiwanis members are at Harrison Corner asking the public for donations to continue funding its programs for children and youth in the community, take place Friday and Saturday, September 23rd and 24th.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.