WILL TODAY'S YOUTH FILL MILLIONS OF FUTURE JOB OPENINGS?
Manufacturing & Distribution | Published:Apr 23, 2015
Manufacturing has a perception problem.
And it could be costly in the future.
As Baby Boomers retire by the bucketful, a shortfall of 2 million
manufacturing workers is predicted in the next decade. And most of
the kids aren’t interested.
In a recent poll, 52 percent of teenagers said they have no interest at
all
in
a
career
in
manufacturing.
And
61
percent
perceived
manufacturing as a “dirty, dangerous place that requires little
thinking or skill from its workers and offers minimal opportunity for
personal growth or career advancement,” according to a recent
Foundation of Fabricators & Manufacturers Association study.
Generation Y respondents ranked manufacturing as their least preferred career destination in the
Manufacturing Institute’s 2015 Public Perception survey.
And parents aren’t recommending manufacturing as a career field. Only 37 percent in the Public
Perception study said they would encourage their children to pursue a career in manufacturing.
Interestingly, though, parents with a familiarity with manufacturing industries were twice as likely to guide
their children toward a career in manufacturing.
Not only are the youth of today not interested in manufacturing jobs, they aren’t studying the right
coursework to qualify for the technologically advanced positions required by today’s industrial employers.
There is a serious lack of STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math), coupled with a
reduction in technical education programs offered in high schools.
Unless more skilled workers come into the work force, the projected shortage will have a heavy financial
impact, most of the 450 manufacturers surveyed by the Manufacturing Institute said.
Four of five executives responding believe the skills gap will impact their ability to meet customer
demand, as well as to increase their productivity. Customer service and research and development are
also expected to suffer.
Today’s manufacturing workers must be knowledgeable of how to work with “smart” machines, including
robotics, 3-D modeling and other advanced technologies. The areas expected to be hardest hit by the
skills shortage are machinists, operators and technicians, as well as highly specialized employees such as
scientists and design engineers.
Most manufacturers in the study said they were willing to pay skilled employees more than market prices
in areas of particular need. The average manufacturing worker already earns more than workers in all
other industries – an average of $77,506, according to the study.
Expanding the future manufacturing work force will take considerable work and planning, the study
concluded. A number of initiatives are under way by the Manufacturing Institute, the National Association
of Manufacturers and other groups. The groups are optimistic but realize they have a huge challenge
before them.
Strategies aimed at closing the skills gap include:
•
Collaborating with technical schools and community colleges in developing curriculums
•
Working with the government and academia to improve the educational system in science, math and
technology areas
•
Expanding internal training
•
Promoting the industry as a viable career choice through events and programs for students