Oberg Industries wins Employer of the Year award
EAST FRANKLIN TWP, Armstrong County — Oberg Industries, headquartered in Buffalo Township, was honored with the Employer of the Year award in Butler County by the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board at its annual breakfast and meeting Friday at the Kittanning Country Club.
TCWIB, which is comprised of 37 volunteer community leaders from Armstrong, Butler and Indiana counties, chose the winners for the three counties, based on the employers' efforts to support and utilize the local work force development system.
The Armstrong County Employer of the Year was ACMH Hospital and the Indiana County Employer of the Year was the Indiana County Technology Center.
There were 13 total nominations for employer of the year in all three counties.
“Our company's motto is: 'Customers rely on us and we rely on our people.' We take great pride in all the investments we make in our employees and we're so appreciative of the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board acknowledging those investments,” said Joe O'Brien, Oberg director of human resources.
Oberg Industries was founded in 1948 as a global manufacturer of complex, precision machined and stamped metal components.
The company, which will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2018, has more than $130 million in annual sales and employs almost 800 skilled workers in its Buffalo Township plants, along with facilities in Costa Rica.
TCWIB honored the company for its proactive approach to recruitment and promotion of manufacturing by its participation and leadership in the Butler County Manufacturing Consortium, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Manufacturing Industry Partnership, along with initiatives with the Southwestern Pennsylvania BotsIQ program, the Moraine Trails Council Boy Scouts of America Technology Academy and the Junior Apprentice Advantage Program with the Highlands High School.
The company was also honored for participation in community and school presentations about careers in manufacturing and representation on community advisory boards for machine technology at career and technology centers, community colleges and universities.
The company was recognized for its success through the use of registered apprenticeships and on-the-job training; the establishment, maintenance and leading of youth engagement and worker pipeline development programs; and the continuous training of its workers.
In 1972, Oberg established its first registered apprenticeship. The company now offers more than a dozen apprenticeship programs.
Oberg recently undertook a formal review of its staff and created a program of analysis and training to get a better understanding of the skills and competencies of successful workers. This is intended to help it grow and improve corporate performance and individual employee development.
