Milwaukee-based global workforce solutions company ManpowerGroup has advised manufacturers to solve the skills gap through collaborative industry groups.
According to Manpower, manufacturers should create private-public sector task forces to develop solutions to the shortage of skilled workers in each market.
“Innovative manufacturing and prototyping enterprises are growing in the U.S., but hiring in manufacturing is not as robust as we’d like to see,” said Jonas Prising, president of ManpowerGroup. “Contemporary U.S. manufacturing means highly unique and relevant design, however, many manufacturers can’t find the skilled talent needed to competitively accelerate their R&D, CAD/CAM and production cycles, which are required for staying competitive in the Human Age.”
Manpower created a Manufacturing Challenge Council to foster this kind of group problem solving in Februarty. Manufacturing employers, trade groups, educators and government leaders met to discuss the issues facing the industry and the skills that were missing in the labor force.
The small groups that met at the Council and honed in on the idea of rebranding manufacturing to attract younger workers to the industry and creating partnerships to increase the industry’s visibility to the general public.
Manpower will host several more Manufacturing Challenge Council events throughout the country this year to open conversations between local groups.
“Working together, employers and educators can bring added focus and prestige to increasingly technical manufacturing roles, ultimately attracting more young people to these important professions,” said Jorge Perez, senior vice president, North America. “Most people don’t realize that careers in manufacturing today are innovative and creative and require not only high-level skills to operate technical equipment and machines, but also problem-solving and collaborative skills to drive results. Techs in manufacturing are in demand and individuals with the right skills and certification can count on steady employment and excellent earning potential. We need to encourage more young people to see manufacturing as a career path. At the same time, manufacturers need to reach out to young people and build collaborative training alliances with educators to sustain a high-skilled labor pool for years to come.”
