Recent Surge in Manufacturing
Manufacturing surge, unemployment rates on the decline - lack of skilled and available candidates.
The manufacturing industry is hurting for skilled workers. In December 2017 there were more than 370,000 manufacturing job openings, according to the department of labor and statistics. That same month 228,000 were hired, which left more than 140,000 jobs unfilled.
With the employment rate at an all-time low, 4.1 percent as of December 2017, there are less people looking for jobs. The talent pool is already small for manufacturers and with less people needing new jobs it has shrunken even more. This will be a huge challenge for employers who need more people to work their machines to keep up with manufacturing demands in the United States.
According to the ASQ 2018 Manufacturing Outlook Survey, 41 percent of manufacturers say finding skilled workers will be their number one challenge this year, compared to 30 percent who said it will be the effects of the economy. ASQ, the leading authority on quality, conducts the survey annually to gauge manufacturing professionals’ views on the year ahead.
Manufacturing employment has also increased with the support of President Trump. Since his election the manufacturing industry has added 293,000 jobs since November 2016, according to the Department of Labor, in an article by CNBC. Making the U.S. manufacturing industry stronger has been a priority for Trump since day one.
We live in a different time where it’s expected for students to finish high school and go straight to college. Yet college is so expensive most graduate with a substantial amount of debt and can’t find a decent paying job right away.
The average cost of college for the 2017-2018 school year at a four-year private college costs an average of $34,740. Public universities charge roughly $9,970 for in-state students and $25,620 for out-of-state students according to the Student Debt Relief.
Going to a trade school has serious benefits. With the demand rising, students could graduate high school in a trade and start work immediately and make a substantial amount of money without having any school loan debt.
Maintenance technicians have multiple job openings and we have already seen the demand for CNC Machinists. Their hourly pay can range from $20-28 an hour, which is much more than an entry level college graduate is making, depending on the field.
There isn’t a large enough candidate pool who can fill all the manufacturing roles. The only option to find these candidates is to recruit them. Recruiting teams and agencies are the key to finding top talent to fill these roles because candidates won’t be applying for these roles, they are already working them.
Many companies use agencies to find quality, reliable skilled workers that could be enticed to switch positions. They already have a relationship with some of these employees and are trusted to help them find the right roles to further their career. Companies also have a trusted relationship with agencies and can offer more insight into roles and what they’re looking for. The relationship between both makes agencies a great tool in staffing the best talent for these tough to fill roles.
Offering higher salaries, tuition assistance and flexible work schedules could be the ticket to attracting manufacturing talent. These positions require multiple skills and you will need quality, skilled workers who can multi-task and operate technical equipment. Micro Tech Staffing Group has been in this industry for more than 30 years and can help you find that talent. Contact Micro Tech Staffing Group today to see how we can help your business.