Background
Omniseal Solutions’ Bristol, Rhode Island facility experienced a significant resurgence between 2021 and 2023, tripling both production and headcount. With operations focused on performance plastics and precision components for space and aviation, the engineering and manufacturing company needed a fast and reliable way to build a skilled workforce. This became especially urgent after business that had previously been sent overseas was brought back to the site.
Polaris MEP, the Rhode Island Manufacturing Extension Partnership, facilitated a connection between Omniseal Solutions and the Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC). JARC Rhode Island, established in 2022, had already built a reputation for designing and delivering high-impact career path training for job seekers in CNC machining and welding. JARC has been delivering high quality, employer informed manufacturing skills training in Chicago and Baltimore since 1985 and 2015, respectively. In addition to training targeted to job seekers, JARC delivers firm-side training utilizing a customized approach built around employer needs, with the goal of upskilling workers and supporting employers to create career mobility opportunities for their workers.
Challenge
Omniseal Solutions’ Bristol site required talent with highly specific skills. A previous partnership with a local community college had not aligned with the company’s day-to-day operational needs. They needed a training model that was flexible, employer-led, and capable of producing consistent results across both technical and non-machine-facing roles.
The facility’s involvement with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) further narrowed hiring and training options, adding another layer of complexity. With rapid growth and new business coming in, the company had to ensure that new employees were not just hired quickly but also equipped with the right skills and knowledge to contribute immediately.
Solution
Through a connection facilitated by Polaris MEP, Omniseal Solutions’ Bristol site and JARC Rhode Island met to discuss training needs.
To ensure the training would meet Omniseal Solutions’ specific operational needs, JARC staff, including Guy Loudon and John Tebow, worked closely with the company to design the curriculum. This included conducting preliminary worker assessments and employee surveys to tailor the training content. Regular meetings between JARC and Omniseal Solutions’ Bristol leadership helped fine-tune course materials and align the program with the skills required on the plant floor.
“Working with JARC to design custom training solutions for our evolving business needs has been simple and effective,” said Omniseal HR Manager Sebastian Moore. “This investment in our employees drives higher performance and retention, leading to stronger business outcomes.”
Unlike off-the-shelf programs, JARC built a solution in direct collaboration with Omniseal Solutions; it was designed to align with the company’s specific training requirements and hiring goals. The program supported both new hires and incumbent workers and connected to the company’s internal second chance hiring initiative. Together, the partners created a pipeline of talent that matched the demands of the work while offering meaningful career pathways.
According to Moore, JARC brought something different to the table. He noted that “they really do honor those partnerships. They do a good job of keeping us all informed and involved, and I know I have a sounding board with this team.”
Working with JARC to design custom training solutions for our evolving business needs has been simple and effective.
Sebastian Moore, HR Manager at Omniseal
Results
The partnership has helped Omniseal Solutions scale its workforce responsibly and with confidence. Dozens of employees have completed JARC-supported training, creating a stronger, more consistent baseline of technical knowledge across the workforce. Moore explained that “our employees definitely all have a similar baseline level of knowledge, which is critical. It gives us a starting point to jump off from.”
To date, 65 Omniseal Solutions’ employees have successfully completed JARC’s training. These customized training courses included:
- Manufacturing Skills 1 (MS1), a course focused on shop math, print reading, and metrology
- Manufacturing Skills 2 (MS2), which covers advanced print reading—including section, assembly, and metric drawings—metrology with surface plates and advanced gauges, useful machinists’ formulae and trigonometry, as well as an introduction to GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) and SPC (Statistical Process Control)
- Mold Makers Quality Assurance
- Lathe Set-up, Operator, and Safety
Another success of the program was that 9 employees received raises or promotions after completing JARC classes. Managers have gained more confidence in their teams, while employees are advancing into more complex roles faster. One graduate of JARC’s CNC Fast Track program joined as a new hire machinist and within 18 months was operating some of the facility’s most advanced machines. Moore described it as “incredibly rewarding to watch his trajectory,” and noted that the employee continues to pursue additional training through JARC.
The success of the partnership offers a model for other manufacturers looking to address talent gaps. Moore believes that as technology and AI accelerate changes on the factory floor, partnerships like this will only become more important: “Creating and advancing partnerships with workforce development agencies is a business imperative.”
When asked what he would say to another company considering a similar partnership, his advice was simple: “Stop thinking and do it. Just have the conversation.”