Founder's Note

We connect U.S. manufacturers with their workforce. That is our mission, and impact is what drives us to work every day.

 

When I look back to the fall of 2017, Rust Belt Recruiting was just a dream I used to talk about with a vague "someday." It wasn't until my wife, Jenna, and I found out we were expecting our second child that she gave me the push I needed. She encouraged me to put in my two weeks' notice and finally take the leap. We didn’t have a perfect plan, but we had a crystal-clear vision of the kind of work I wanted to do: I wanted to solve puzzles, connect with people, and above all, make a tangible impact. It quickly became clear where that impact was needed most: Ohio's backbone industry, manufacturing.

 

Years ago, I saw a mural in Athens, Ohio (💚), that read, “Without Labor Nothing Prospers.” That phrase has always stuck with me because it is the absolute truth. Our country was built, and continues to be sustained, on the backs of the hardworking men and women in our industrial workforce. They are the people who get their hands dirty to make the world a better place through innovation.

 

Today, our mission to champion this workforce has never been more critical. The challenges of recent years have exposed the fragility of global supply chains and proven a simple truth: if you believe in this country, you must believe in its ability to be self-reliant. Reindustrialization is no longer just an economic trend, it is an absolute necessity. The return of American manufacturing is happening before our eyes, and by reshoring operations and investing in physical infrastructure, we are revitalizing the heartland.

 

At Rust Belt Recruiting, we enthusiastically serve as a bridge between these powerhouse industrial companies and hardworking Americans. But for us, this work goes far beyond simply filling a vacancy. In a world where we are increasingly disconnected and isolated, a career in manufacturing provides something profoundly necessary: purpose, connection, and true community.

 

There are countless jobs where you clock in and clock out simply to obtain a paycheck. But manufacturing provides a meaningful career path where your everyday work involves producing something vital for the world, whether that is building parts for the Defense Department to keep our country safe, producing components for a bridge that connects a region, or assembling the appliances that help families put a quality meal on their table.

 

Furthermore, the manufacturing floor is a place where socioeconomic barriers are broken down. Showing up to work on a daily basis to make something that matters with people who become your community, that’s the good stuff in life. When we connect a candidate with the right opportunity, we are providing them with an environment where they can learn valuable skills, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and find the internal contentment that we all yearn for. We aren't just changing their professional trajectory, we are impacting their family's future and uplifting our entire region.

 

I am immensely proud of the ecosystem we have built since November 2017. To our clients who entrust us with their reputations, to the candidates who trust us with their livelihoods, and to our incredible team who makes this mission their own, a heartfelt thank you. And to Jenna, thank you for believing in me when this was just a leap of faith. We wouldn’t be here without you.

We are doing more than just putting people to work, we are changing the world with the work we are doing right here in the Midwest. We are committed to Renewing Our Region, and I invite you to come along for the ride.

 

Let’s roll!

 

– Taylor Evans

   Owner, Founder, and President of Rust Belt Recruiting