AmiSight 5/22: The Manufacturing Labor Shortage: Skills, Stigma, and Solutions
- Ami Kassar
- 7 minutes ago
- 1 min read
Despite concerted efforts by several past administrations to revive U.S. manufacturing, many American manufacturers say they are struggling to fill the jobs they already have.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports nearly half a million open manufacturing jobs, and another survey found that most manufacturers cite recruiting and retaining workers as their biggest challenge.
A major reason for this shortage is that these positions require specialized skills, such as research and development, engineering, design, finance, sales, and marketing – often requiring college degrees.
That brings up the question of whether or not these manufacturing jobs are paying enough to make the added education and skills needed worth it. Beyond wages, the industry still battles a Dickensian image—of dirty, monotonous, and dangerous factory work—that may deter potential workers.
One way to help Americans obtain vocational skills especially important for today’s high-tech manufacturing jobs is creating more apprenticeships.
