If we get the projects we would definitely need contractors. The hard part is finding one that can actually do the work. Been involved in several cases where that was not the case.
Create a “challenge” and see how they do.
Model an assembly. Make part and assembly drawings with BOM.
Throw in some import parts.
Something that can be done in a day.
Normally, if a guy is good, the first test in my opinion is;
#1 - Does he have pictures of what he worked on (if it’s pictures of one item multiple times, or one picture of each multiple job, there’s a difference)
#2 - A Customer List with references etc..
#3 - Having a CSWP shows some commitment in gauging his expertise (wouldn’t hang a lot on this)
#4 -
Just have them model a few examples and see how they do:
I’m a freelance consultant and if someone asked me to do that I would in most cases just turn it down, I would guess most half decent freelancers would do the same unless they were really desperate.
I stand by my previous work and would give references if the client requested (unless the reference was a direct competitor).
As a freelancer you need to be careful on how much time you waste on maybe work.
What I read into here is that you can’t model any of these:
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Kidding aside, I see the point here. What’s more important, having someone who can quickly model something or would you rather have someone who may take their time and model in some design intent, but more slowly? How do test for that?
I can go through and produce the CSWA part in no time without errors…But, what’s that really worth?
“rather have someone who may take their time and model in some design intent, but more slowly”
Fast, inaccurate means waste lots of time to manage and clean up.
Doing that for the one I replaced.
Did a BOM with a 500 parts imported assembly.
Didn’t even sort the BOM. So item 1 is part 475. Item 2 is part 164. They did an order that way.
We got new order with new rev and trying to match all the parts.
Fun.
A simple test could eliminate that.
I like to do things like that to keep my coworkers on their toes…
I don’t know too many people working for “Temp Work” would spend a day working for free. Thus the need for some other method of finding out who is capable and who is a blow hard.
Nothing if you’re trying to hire someone that knows how to design something. I would look for a person like that if I had a whole bunch of paper drawings turned into CAD models though 
I think finding a CAD jockey is pretty easy and could be done with rather simple testing. Finding a good designer is an altogether different story.
I suspect that engineering/manufacturing is not the only sector plagued with this. From personal experience there are a whole lot of doctors out there that would “Pass a test”…not too many good doctors though.
is this post another “America center of the world” need ?
or international ? europe ? asie ? you didn’t precise that.
Not sure what you’re saying here. I do live in the US and since I have no experience working in Europe, Asia or New Zealand I have scant little knowledge of what the job markets are like in those areas.
I can say, that in my experience, pretty much ubiquitously, across the US we have an issue in manufacturing with lack of skilled labor. This includes Engineering thru manufacturing.
This may be a uniquely American thing because we have spent the last 30+ years telling everyone that “We don’t need manufacturing”, “We can be a Service Society” and “Go to college, get a degree and get a job that does not involve getting your hands dirty”.
Also for what it’s worth I suspect there are some European countries in the same boat. I’ve talked to a couple people from European countries that have described a similar path and similar result.
China being very Manufacturing centric probably less of an issue.