Manufacturing Jobs Going Unfilled

Conventional wisdom has it that manufacturing in the United States is on the decline, that all of the manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas. But that is not the case. Jobs have not been shipped out nearly as much as people assume they have. The jobs have just changed a lot to keep up with new technology.
So, if you are in the job market, the manufacturing sector may be a place to look. Many companies have jobs that need to be filled – they cannot find the workers they need who have the technological skills required for the job. So, with some training, you might possibly find a new career.
Last year alone, according to one survey, about 600,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector had no takers. In the past, manufacturers moved jobs overseas basically to save money. But things have since changed. Now, the priority is on a well-trained, highly skilled workforce, and many companies are finding their best chance of finding these workers is here in the United States. If something goes wrong in the factory now, you don’t use a wrench to fix it, you look at the software.
In fact, the shortage of workers has become such a problem that about 800 manufacturing leaders called the shortage moderate to severe. And many said the shortage will get worse in the coming years. Companies are trying to come up with new ways to get the workers they need. They are teaming up with community colleges to find trained workers, or looking at veterans. Another problem looming on the horizon is the impending retirement of many workers.
The problem began in the 1990s when the jobs began to leave and educational institutions began adapting their classes to a more service-oriented economy and away from the skills needed for manufacturing.
In fact, to get the workers it needs, one company has resorted to using an apprenticeship program. The company, Siemens, runs a large array of manufacturing enterprises, and the company has more than 2,500 openings in the United States. With its apprenticeship program, the company has begun to train high school seniors in a community college program that is specially designed for the jobs at Siemens. The company pays for their education, and the students get a paid internship and immediate employment upon graduation.
If you have experience in a manufacturing environment, we want to hear from you! Opti Staffing Group clients in Portland, Seattle, Anchorage, Lake Oswego, Tacoma, and Chicago are eager to meet with skilled and reliable individuals looking for temporary as well as direct-hire opportunities. Contact us today!

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