Are you still digging out from the snow and ice that swept across the country over the weekend? If you live east of the Mississippi River, then the answer is probably a resounding “Yes!” From the Midwest and Northeast to wide swaths of the Southeast, Winter Storm Fern wreaked havoc across dozens of states. Unfortunately,
If manufacturers summarized the last decade, many would choose one word that simultaneously sums up their experience yet doesn’t seem powerful enough to convey the magnitude of their struggles: challenging. From the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic that snarled supply chains around the globe to the current administration’s on-again, off-again foreign trade policy driven by fluctuating tariffs,
The manufacturing sector in the United States continues to face an ongoing labor shortage that shows no signs of letting up anytime soon. Recent reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal a consistent pattern of nearly a half-million open manufacturing positions every month. As if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, the current administration’s
“Made in America!” Those three words evoke a range of thoughts and emotions, from simple patriotism to a belief in a higher-quality product. They’ve also become a bit of a political rallying cry. Since the beginning of 2025, American manufacturing has been in the national spotlight more than ever, largely due to the Trump administration’s
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
What’s the biggest challenge facing manufacturers in 2025? A survey of companies would likely yield a variety of answers, from inflation and fickle customer demand to productivity and ever-changing technology. But there’s one ongoing problem that would top the list for many manufacturers: filling open positions with highly skilled workers. Manufacturers call it the skill
American manufacturers need workers. For years, they’ve struggled to fill open positions and, while some of their efforts have led to improved recruitment, there are still hundreds of thousands of open positions across the country. Thanks to the work of manufacturers and educators over the last decade, however, more students than ever are open to
Anyone tuned in to the state of manufacturing in America has been aware of the perennial thorn in the side of manufacturers everywhere: the skills gap. For many years now, manufacturers have struggled to fill open positions due to a shortage of workers with the skills needed to work with and alongside new advanced automation
“Made in the USA” – it’s a label that many take great pride in. There are millions of people who make buying decisions every day based upon where goods are manufactured. They support American-made products because they want to support American businesses. This isn’t always easy, because for certain categories of products, such as electronics,
Those familiar with manufacturing and the skilled trades know all about the skills gap and the challenge of hiring enough highly skilled workers to fill the hundreds of thousands of open positions throughout industry across the country. For years now, there simply haven’t been enough workers to meet growing demand. Hiring managers tasked with finding
What do you want to be when you grow up? Do you remember being asked that question as a child? What was your answer? Popular answers I remember from my own childhood included occupations like fireman, teacher, construction worker, and veterinarian. What did those occupations have in common? They do things that are easy to
Manufacturers Must Retain and Attract Workers to Battle Ongoing Labor Shortage As 2023 winds to an end and 2024 begins, it’s good to take a closer look at how manufacturers have been faring with the ongoing struggle to fill open positions. It’s no secret that manufacturers here and around the world have been battling
