According to a recent Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute study, the manufacturing skills gap in the United States could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, costing the economy a whopping $1 trillion in 2030 alone. Even in recent years, the unemployment rate has hovered at historic lows, and there simply haven't been enough skilled applicants in the labor pool.
This problem can be traced back to the K-12 level, where parents often hustle their students past manufacturing opportunities at career fairs, saying, "That's not for you." One idea pushed on students in the 1990s and early 2000s was that going to college was the de facto way to success, and alternate plans would mean a lot of heartache and lost earnings. Many in the age group that have kids in the K-12 space still see manufacturing jobs as "dirty" and "back-breaking," according to recent surveys by Gallup.
The reality is that many advanced technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, smart sensors, and the Internet of Things (IoT), converge in high-tech manufacturing settings. This makes manufacturing a good career cluster for students with a wide range of skills, aptitudes, and interests.
What Today's Manufacturers Are Looking For
Manufacturers today are looking for talented problem-solvers with a breadth of understanding of hardware and software, are curious to continue learning, and want to upskill on the go. Unlike our parents and grandparents, this new generation of manufacturing talent won't be 'stuck' at the workstation for their entire careers. This emerging workforce will be highly skilled, mobile, and in-demand as they demonstrate their abilities to learn, adapt to new technology, and solve complex problems.
In Greater Peoria, manufacturing spans multiple sectors and includes some of the most significant proven global manufacturing leaders. In many organizations, innovation happens incrementally, so talented individuals who understand the manufacturing process and can complete work the "old school" way are needed. However, they must also be mindful of emerging technologies and open to the changes required to implement those solutions.
As the library of skills required to complete the work changes and evolves, the core abilities and those "essential" skills remain pretty standard. Our region is home to a program called GPEAK, a development curriculum built into many CTE programs at regional schools that provides students with this essential knowledge and abilities.
How Do We Build Awareness & Improve Kid's Interest
There are several very simple ways to get students more interested in careers in manufacturing. Here in Greater Peoria, one of our largest and most impactful tools for career exploration is CareerSpark, which provides hands-on career exploration across eight industry clusters. Data shows that Manufacturing moves to one of the top areas of interest for students' future careers year after year.
One of the top priorities for teachers and parents is changing perceptions of careers in manufacturing. There is still an outdated idea of what a manufacturing career entails. It is essential to expose students to people who do the work - not just HR connections or managers at local employers, but technicians and production workers who run machines, repair equipment, and complete the work on the shop floor.
Bringing students to the facilities where manufacturing work is done is essential. It is also crucial to highlight the diversity in manufacturing sectors; try to arrange field trips and tours at multiple manufacturing facilities: metal fabrication, equipment building, textiles, food and beverage, chemicals, etc. If you can't get your students inside the building, see if videos or other media can showcase what the facility looks like.
One thing that needs to be done for all roles, from primary production to engineering to executive leadership, is demonstrating workforce diversity by bringing women and people from underrepresented groups to the students. Multiple studies have shown that young girls are more likely to find a career pathway credible if they see a woman already doing the work.
Another thing that can be done is to update the curriculum and coursework to reflect the evolving realities of the manufacturing space. Include lessons on AI, IoT, lasers, robotics, automation, etc. in your classroom. Find engaging, modern delivery methods for the lessons online, and make sure your supplemental materials reflect today's modern factories.
In Conclusion
It is not only possible, but it is relatively simple to promote manufacturing careers to students and build awareness of the career pathways and potential work to be done in the manufacturing space for students. Using interactive technology and learning environments with simulations, VR, and AR, you can introduce students to emerging technology and help them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By presenting STEM skills to all students early and by building new skills on that foundation through advanced technology training, schools can help students follow a career pathway into a highly-technical manufacturing career.
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