Solving the Manufacturing Paradox

Do you want to see more manufacturing jobs in the United States? Do you want to work one of those manufacturing jobs? For Americans, the answer to these two questions is quite different and seemingly contradictory. Welcome to the paradox that is modern manufacturing in the U.S.

The on-again, off-again Trump administration tariff announcements sparking potential trade wars around the globe are supposed to reverse trade imbalances and usher in a season of reshoring that will bring hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs back to America. Yet, U.S. manufacturers can’t fill the open positions they already have right now, with recent estimates putting the number of open manufacturing jobs at more than a half million.

So what’s really going on with U.S. manufacturing? Do we need more manufacturing jobs if we can’t fill the ones we already have open? Why do people want to see more domestic manufacturing, but no one wants to work those jobs? In this article, we’ll take a look at the paradoxical state of manufacturing in the U.S. and what concrete steps can be taken to move things in the right direction.

A Factory Job for Thee, but Not for Me

The Trump administration’s focus on tariffs has created no small amount of turmoil, as economic experts and administration officials argue about the likely effects of a prolonged global trade war. Tariff proponents have been quick to point out the intended effect of reshoring manufacturing jobs supposedly lost to other countries over the years.

However, experts point out that things aren’t quite so simple. According to a Fortune article by Alicia Adamczyk, the idea of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. “enjoys broad support among…Americans, who overwhelmingly say the U.S. would be better off with more manufacturing jobs. But only if they’re not the one stuck in the factory.”

This conclusion stems from 2024 research by the Cato Institute, which found that “while 80% of Americans believe the country would be better off with more manufacturing jobs, just 25% believe they would individually be better off working in a factory.”

What’s causing this “disconnect between how Americans in general think of manufacturing and how they view it for themselves?” Perhaps it’s the fact that, according to the Pew Research Center, “[m]anufacturing workers themselves report ‘markedly’ lower personal satisfaction with their jobs than other workers. They also report less satisfaction with their pay, health insurance, and other benefits, and flexibility of their work hours.”

The Widening Skills Gap

Battling a negative perception of manufacturing is nothing new for the sector. For years, a “skills gap” has been growing, resulting in a supply of skilled workers that continues to lag significantly behind the demand for those workers. When trying to interest young people to pursue a career in manufacturing, long-held negative perceptions continue to affect how people view manufacturing jobs.

It’s a frustrating situation for manufacturers, who know that modern “factory jobs” are usually nothing like people imagine them to be. Hot, dirty working conditions have largely been replaced by clean, comfortable facilities filled with a surprising amount of modern technology. That’s because, as it’s been harder and harder to find skilled workers, manufacturers have turned increasingly to advanced automation technologies to meet production and efficiency goals.

That’s why the gap between the demand for workers and the supply of those workers is dubbed a “skills gap.” The workers that modern manufacturers need must be more highly skilled than at any time in the past. Today’s manufacturing workers need to be able to work on and alongside automation technology, including robots, smart sensors, automated guided vehicles, and the like.

How bad is this skills gap? According to an NPR article by Greg Rosalsky, “[t]he average manufacturing worker is…relatively old, and the industry expects a tidal wave of retirements in the coming decade. The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte projected that the industry will need 3.8 million additional workers by 2033 and that as many as ‘1.9 million of these jobs could go unfilled if workforce challenges are not addressed.’” And that’s before any reshoring that takes place as a result of current trade policy changes.

Show Me the Money

Rosalsky points out that there is “[a] classic solution to apparent worker shortages: offer higher pay. That would probably convince workers to invest in acquiring coveted skills and enter the manufacturing workforce.” Is the solution that simple? Probably not, but it is worth noting that recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of workers in states across the country advocating for a higher minimum wage.

Some manufacturers are definitely heeding the call for higher pay, given the increase in skills needed to work in modern manufacturing facilities. And these well-paying jobs aren’t just for college graduates. Many positions with great pay are available for students who acquire the skills they need in high school.

According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal by Te-Ping Chen, some high school students are graduating with job offers in the skilled trades with starting salaries of $70,000 per year or more. For example, Elijah Rios, “a junior taking welding classes at Father Judge, a Catholic high school in Philadelphia,” “already has a job offer—one that pays $68,000 a year.”

Chen notes that “[i]ncreased efforts to recruit high-schoolers into professions such as plumbing, electrical work and welding have helped spur a revitalization of shop classes in many districts. More businesses are teaming up with high schools to enable students to work part-time, earning money as well as academic credit. More employers are showing up at high school career days and turning to creative recruiting strategies, as well.”

This is great news, and it reveals a framework for tackling the skills gap by forming partnerships between manufacturers and educational institutions to build a pipeline of future workers equipped with the skills industry needs.

IGNITE a Passion for Manufacturing

For career and technical education (CTE) instructors, this might seem like another big “to do” to add to their already-packed list of tasks, but fortunately, instructors and manufacturers don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to setting up training programs to teach the hands-on skills students will need to excel in modern manufacturing facilities.

Whether you’re starting from zero or looking to build upon a variety of pieces already in place, Amatrol can help you craft a custom CTE program based upon its groundbreaking IGNITE: Mastering Manufacturing program.

With more than 40 years of experience designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art training systems, Amatrol remains the world’s leader in skills-based, interactive technical learning for industry and education. IGNITE is a foundational skill development program designed to stimulate student interest in today’s Advanced Manufacturing/Industry 4.0 careers.

Amatrol developed IGNITE: Mastering Manufacturing to be a comprehensive advanced manufacturing training program that both provides career exploration opportunities and equips high school students with the in-depth knowledge and hands-on skills they need to be successful in the highly-skilled, high-pay jobs available in advanced manufacturing.

IGNITE was developed in conjunction with LIFT – Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow, including significant contributions from America Makes, MxD – The Digital Manufacturing Institute, The Ohio State University, ASM Materials Education Foundation, and The PAST Foundation.

The IGNITE program exposes students to the many different facets of modern advanced manufacturing. Instructors can also guide the experience to spark student interest in specific subject matter areas.

In addition to hands-on technical skills in a wide variety of disciplines found throughout manufacturing, the IGNITE program also teaches students the valuable, uniquely-human “soft skills” (also commonly called “common employability skills” or “CES”), such as communication, teamwork, and critical thinking, that are critical to future career success.

Importantly, IGNITE also prepares students to earn industry-standard certifications that can jump-start their advanced manufacturing careers. For example, IGNITE students can choose to pursue certifications like the MSSC Certified Production Technician Plus Skill Boss certification or advanced Industry 4.0 certifications from SACA.

Consult with an expert at Amatrol today to learn how you can take the first step toward teaching your students or current workers the skills that will set them up for success in the modern workplace.

 

About Duane Bolin

Duane Bolin is a former curriculum developer and education specialist. He is currently a Marketing Content Developer in the technical training solutions market.