How to Create the Next Generation of Skilled Workers
Posted August 13, 2013 & filed under Uncategorized
It’s no secret that American manufacturers are having a harder time finding qualified skilled workers these days. Baby boomers with years of experience under their belts are quickly approaching retirement and their replacements are in short supply. For many of the Millennial Generation, there exists a negative stigma about how manufacturing is a dead-end industry that doesn’t payoff, which is preventing new lifeblood from entering the workforce. So, many leading manufacturers are wondering how to create the next generation of skilled workers.
Outreach Programs
One major problem stems from weak communication. Middle school and high school students are not presented with the message that a career in manufacturing can be rewarding. Certain states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Hampshire are partnering up with major manufacturers and instituting programs that expose kids to cutting-edge technology (i.e. 3D printers, CNC machines, etc.), giving them a supervised opportunity to use this equipment firsthand.
More Apprenticeships
Another problem is the absence of critical apprenticeships. Most manufacturers are insistent about hiring skilled workers but many are unwilling to invest in the promising talent needed to make it happen. In Michigan alone the number of apprenticeships available have decreased by about 50 percent since 2005. On top of that, only 4 percent of skilled trades jobs reviewed by Michigan state officials were for entry-level positions. Though Michigan is in dire shape right now, the national picture isn’t too different. In a survey of 393 manufacturing companies, the number of apprenticeships was down by nearly 44%. That’s a shortage that needs to be fixed.
A recent Forbes article points to Germany as a model for our answer. Private German companies are taking the initiative to fund apprentice style programs at the secondary school level which has contributed to the country’s record-low 7.5 percent in youth unemployment. Currently, the United States is closer to 16.4 percent.
The Bottom Line
If we’re looking to eliminate the skill gap, members of American manufacturing have to take the initiative to connect with young students and provide them with paths into skilled trades. Without taking proactive measures, our qualified workforce will continue to dissolve. So, the choice is stay current or watch manufacturing steadily move to countries willing to create their own workforce. The answer seems simple enough.
by James Walsh
