Join Us in Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) this November 17-23, 2024
As we reach the end of the year and many companies are finalizing their hiring initiatives for 2025, the National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), taking place November 17-23, is here to remind us of the great value of offering young workers an opportunity to take the first steps in their career path through valuable apprenticeships, internships, and mentorships.
Visit the NAW website at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/national-apprenticeship-week to find national and local events near you.
Formaspace offers a full range of furniture options, from industrial furniture for factories to laboratory furniture for biotech research to furniture for educational, government, and military applications.
Reshoring Offshore Production and Growing the US Manufacturing Industry Here at Home Will Require More Workers
In recent years, the American manufacturing industry has been a relative bright spot in the economy as more companies choose to start manufacturing products here at home or reshore overseas production back to the US.
However, current and future projections of manufacturing labor shortages are creating a barrier to future potential growth.
A report prepared by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute (MI) estimates that the domestic manufacturing and assembly industries will require as many as 3.8 million workers by 2033. But they also warn that we’ll not be able to fill 1.9 million of those jobs if current conditions remain the same.
One key reason for the shortage is that the current manufacturing employees are “aging out” of the workforce. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over half of manufacturing workers are over the age of 45.
Younger Workers Need to See the Value in Working in Manufacturing and Blue-Collar Trades
With American manufacturers overly dependent on older workers, more needs to be done to encourage younger job candidates to consider the value that a career in manufacturing offers.
A recent survey by Soter Analytics of 2,000 Gen Z workers found few (only 14%) had any interest in pursuing an industrial or manufacturing career.
However, once they were informed that industrial jobs paid better than other entry-level jobs, the interest level jumped to 29%.
Other assumptions by Gen Z workers were revealed by the survey, including concerns that industrial workplaces were unsafe (25%).
As an industry, manufacturers need to convince younger candidates that modern manufacturing has changed. Many of the most in-demand manufacturing career opportunities are considered “high-tech” jobs, including roles in manufacturing simulation (digital twins), robotics, connected devices, quality testing, semiconductor processing, advanced welding, and electromechanical assembly.
Fortunately, there may be a change on the horizon.
CNBC reports that an increasing number of workers between 18 and 24 without four-year degrees are taking on skilled trade jobs. Thanks to the relatively higher pay, many of these workers are on track to outpace the incomes of their peers with college degrees.
The Value Proposition of Offering Apprenticeships, Internships, and Mentorships for Your Manufacturing Business
Given the current and projected worker shortages, what should manufacturing companies do to develop their future workforce?
To solve the problem, companies are looking for ways to connect to younger people even before they graduate.
Offering a range of education outreach programs directed at K-12 schools, technical schools, colleges, and universities can help, along with participation in state and regional development agencies and industry trade associates.
Many young people lack any awareness of the career opportunities and may appreciate learning about the value that a rewarding (and well-compensated) career in manufacturing offers.
In addition to these education outreach programs, consider establishing direct connections with students who express interest in pursuing a career in your industry sector.
Funmi Oludaiye, the Managing Director (Global Head of Engineering) at Goldman Sachs, talks to the Center for Strategic & International Studies about how a mentorship helped her grow from a young STEM student to an accomplished engineering manager.
These connections can range from introductory facility tours to complete apprenticeships, internships, or mentorship opportunities.
Find Out if Federal or State Governments Offer Financial Initiatives in Your Industry Sector to Support Apprenticeships, Internships, and Mentorships
In some cases, federal, state, and local governments, as well as trade unions, offer support programs for implementing apprenticeships, internships, and mentorships in the manufacturing sector.
Of that amount, $195 million will be extended through the Apprenticeship Building America initiative, and $45 million will be offered through the State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula.
To date, these programs have funded 900,000 apprenticeships.
As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, there are also new funding opportunities offered by the Department of Energy (DOE) for apprenticeship in “Clean Energy” sectors, including $24 million to establish apprenticeship training programs at new “Industrial Assessment Centers” across the country.
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