Today's jobs are manufacturing jobs

A study published by the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute, titled “Keeping America Competitive” states that “today’s manufacturing jobs are technology jobs, and employees at all levels must have the wider range of skills required to respond to the demands of an increasingly complex environment.”

However, the US identifies a number of obstacles in employing more in manufacturing:

1. Manufacturing’s image
2. Parents
3. Teachers and counselors
4. Shop classes
5. Vocational Training
6. Advanced Technical Training

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US manufacturing has a great opportunity

US manufacturing has a great opportunity. In an election year, candidates are falling over themselves to be seen as the champion of rebuilding the economy, through creating jobs and making it easier for business to do business. Jeff Moad from Manufacturing Executive Community says it is likely candidates will cater to larger manufacturers rather deal with the issues faced by smaller manufacturers. He says for them, it is the reduction of red tape and export guidance that improve potential, not reduction of the corporate tax rate which resonates with the big players.

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Skills development: are manufacturers shooting themselves in the foot?

A pertinent question as asked by the Manufacturing Executive blog. It aligns with one of our previous posts about the benefits of recruiting mature-aged workers. But in the long-term does this benefit the industry?

Will this practice of hiring mature-aged workers ultimately discourage Gen-Y and the long-term sustainability of the manufacturing industry?

Comment below or on the post at Manufacturing Executive.   

The Factory of The Future

Is the factory of the future about automation and less jobs or about creating hi-tech jobs? See Zvi Feuer's article from Manufacturing Executive on this topic. Here is an excerpt:

"I have a different view of the factory of the future, and although it certainly includes robots and other forms of automation, I don’t see it as eliminating jobs. In fact, I predict the opposite. Factories of the future will actually create jobs. According to Thomas Friedman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times, a 1% improvement in productivity can result in as many as 750,000 new jobs in the U.S."

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