Carson City’s Click Bond spokesman touts foundational and STEM skills

WASHINGTON — The director of strategic initiatives at Click Bond, Inc., told a House subcommittee Thursday crucial skill sets are needed by manufacturers.

Ryan Costella said both foundational and advanced skills from training or education are critical needs for Click Bond, which designs and makes adhesive-bonded fasteners for airplanes, other transport vehicles, and has worldwide clientele. He said others in manufacturing face the same challenge.

Costella said such needs can be filled by trained personnel here or from around the world.

“We are strong believers that competition breeds excellence,” said Costella, “so if people from other parts of the world are eager to come here legally to pursue their passion or a great idea, or to be part of existing ideas that are flourishing, we would welcome them.”

Costella, who grew up in Carson City, was introduced by Rep. Mark Amodei, also from Carson City, before offering testimony to a subcommittee of the House Committee on Small Business.

The panel took testimony in a hearing called “Help Wanted: The small business STEM Worforce shortage and immigration reform.” STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, but Costella stressed that basic reading, writing and thinking abilities must undergird those more advanced skills.

He said meting such critical needs produces jobs that pay well and for every dollar spent in manufacturing, “another $1.48 is added to the economy, the highest multiplier effect of any economic sector.”