Industrial Distribution

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And the beat goes on
November 19, 2007

Finding qualified employees in manufacturing continues to be a major problem, according to recent news reports. During a roundtable of machine shop leaders in Boston, for example, shop owners urged state government officials to help get young people excited about the industry, according to an article in the Boston Business Journal.

The meeting was sponsored by the Boston Tooling and Machining Assn., which estimates that 15 of its member companies are hiring and about 70 jobs are unfilled statewide. Last year, the Journal reported, Massachusetts had roughly 8,000 machinists making an annual salary of just over $40,500.

The shop owners say the lack of manpower is causing them to leave contracts on the table and limits the amount of shifts they can schedule.

In Philadelphia, two manufacturing organizations are attempting to determine the number of unfilled manufacturing jobs in the region and train workers for those positions. The Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center received $500,000 to recruit retired Navy members to teach advanced manufacturing skills, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Meanwhile, the Urban Industry Initiative estimates that nearly all of the 1,300 manufacturing companies in Philadelphia have job openings. The group expects to complete a survey by the end of the year that will determine the needs of the city’s manufacturers now, in the next three years and five years from now, the newspaper reported.

Information from the survey will help UII connect the companies to public and private training resources. The UII is working to increase partnerships between the Philadelphia School District and the city’s manufacturing industry, which is the fourth largest contributor to the city’s wage tax.

There are a number of reasons why employment in manufacturing continues to drop off. Many baby boomers are retiring and younger workers are reluctant to enter an industry that’s perceived to have dead-end jobs in an old, dirty workplace.

As we’ve written many times over the years, yesterday’s perception is not today’s reality. Most manufacturing plants today are modern, clean and efficient. The average manufacturing worker earned $56,000 last year, making it a good career choice for many young people or those looking for a career change.

The industry is also opening up more career opportunities for women. According to Industry Week magazine, nearly 30 percent of the nation’s manufacturing professionals today are women.

Posted by Jack Keough on November 19, 2007 | Comments (0)