Millions of manufacturing jobs are up for grabs, so why aren't Americans taking them? The answer might surprise you
Following decades of downturn, American manufacturing is rebounding. Billions of federal dollars invested in the sector by both the Trump administration and previously the Biden administrations to boost manufacturing in the United States, as per a report. But there's a surprising twist, though the jobs are here, manufacturers are having trouble finding workers to occupy them, according tp NPR.
Half a Million Factory Jobs, But No Takers
Close to 500,000 factory jobs currently exist that are not being filled, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics
data revealed, as per the report. Last year, the
Manufacturing Institute
and Deloitte surveyed over 200 manufacturing companies and found that over 65% of the firms said
recruiting and retaining workers
was their main business challenge, reported NPR.
ALSO READ:
If you had put $10K into Berkshire Hathaway when Warren Buffett took over, you'd be sitting on a mind-blowing fortune today; here's the jaw-dropping return you missed out on
5
5
Next
Stay
Playback speed
1x Normal
Back
0.25x
0.5x
1x Normal
1.5x
2x
5
5
/
Skip
Ads by
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Fungo nas unhas: um truque simples reduz facilmente
Acabe com os Fungo
Undo
Skills and Degree Needed
One of the reason manufacturers can't hire quickly is that so many jobs today require specialized skills and not all of them on the factory floor, as per the report. Just about 2 in every 5 jobs are for hands-on production, others fall into fields like engineering, design, R&D, finance, and marketing, as per NPR. Also, unlike before, many manufacturing jobs these days actually require college degrees, according to the report.
The president and executive director of the Manufacturing Institute, Carolyn Lee highlighted that half of all open manufacturing positions demand a bachelor's degree, however, the other half doesn't need a degree, and yet manufacturers are having a hard time filling both types, as per NPR.
Live Events
Lee shared that, "Every company we speak with is trying to hire technicians. Every single one. The challenge is that there is no one walking around on the street with these skills, and it takes one to two years to teach those skills and another one to two years to contextualize those skills to the specific plant environment," as quoted in the report.
ALSO READ:
White House insider issues dire warning, says Republicans are heading for a wipeout in the midterm elections, cites these reasons
FAQs
Are these jobs only for college graduates?
Not at all, about half don't require a degree. But they still require training and experience.
What kinds of jobs are in high demand?
Technicians, machine operators, forklift drivers, and material handlers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
29 minutes ago
- India Today
Trump open to extending trade talks' deadline, but says it won't be necessary
US President Donald Trump said he's willing to extend the July 8 deadline for completing trade talks with several countries. However, he believes an extension may not be to reporters before attending Les Misrables at the Kennedy Centre, Trump said, "We're rocking in terms of deals. We're dealing with quite a few countries, and they all want to make a deal with us." He noted that ongoing discussions include trade partners like Japan, South Korea, and the European expressed confidence that most agreements would be in place before the deadline. "I don't think it's a necessity," he said when asked about a possible extension. Trump also shared plans to move forward with trade terms soon. "At a certain point, we're just going to send letters out saying, 'This is the deal. You can take it, or you can leave it,'" he said. "We're not quite ready, but we're close."US OFFICIALS SIGNAL FLEXIBILITY FOR 'GOOD-FAITH' NEGOTIATORSTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the House Ways and Means Committee that countries negotiating seriously could see the July 8 deadline pushed back."It is highly likely that those countries -- or trading blocs like the EU -- who are negotiating in good faith, we will roll the date forward," Bessent said. "If someone is not negotiating, then we will not."advertisementThis is the Trump administration's first overt indication that it might prolong trade deadlines for nations involved in serious negotiations. He pointed out that the European Union, which had been slow earlier, is now showing signs of "better faith" in the talks. BLOODBATH IN MARKETS AFTER LIBERATION DAY TARIFFS Trump had announced the 90-day pause in tariffs on April 9. This came a week after he unveiled "Liberation Day" tariffs that targeted nearly all countries across the world. The announcement shook global markets, with the S&P 500 dropping more than 12% in four days -- the worst performance since the COVID-19 started their recovery on April 9 when Trump unexpectedly announced the pause. The recovery continued in early May when the Trump team agreed to dial back the triple-digit tariff rates it had imposed on goods from China. Those events have given rise to what some on Wall Street have parodied as the "TACO" trade - an acronym for Trump Always Chickens move led many on Wall Street to jokingly refer to the situation as the "TACO" trade -- acronym for "Trump Always Chickens Out."
Hindustan Times
32 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Bhaichung Bhutia slams AIFF, Sunil Chhetri's father-in-law questions retirement u-turn: ‘Kalyan Chaubey has destroyed…'
Dave Portnoy, Barstool Sports founder, voted for Trump as an "indictment" of Democrats, not personal endorsement. Despite losing $20 million from Trump's tariffs, he maintains support. Known for sports platform and pizza reviews, Portnoy has a $150 million net worth.
News18
32 minutes ago
- News18
'The Trump Card': US President Offers Residency For 5 Mn Dollars, Waiting List Open
Last Updated: Announcing the big news on Truth Social, Trump wrote that for five million dollars, individuals can gain access to what it calls "The Trump Card". US President Donald Trump's long-anticipated 'Trump Card", which offers foreigners permanent US residency after paying USD 5 million to the government, is now open for business. Announcing the big news on Truth Social, Trump wrote that for five million dollars, individuals can gain access to what it calls 'The Trump Card". The US President described this card as a gateway to the 'greatest country and market anywhere in the world". Trump posted a link to the waiting list in his post, which takes users to a page titled 'Trump Card – Pathway to Citizenship official waitlist". The page invites those interested in the $US5 million ($7.68 million) US citizenship card to enter their name, country of origin, whether they are an individual or a business, and their email address. The card, also known as the 'Golden Card" was first unveiled by Trump in April. Why The Trump Card? Earlier, Donald Trump mentioned that he wants 'productive" people to come to the US and help the country pay off its debt. He also wants those people buying gold cards to create jobs for Americans. 'We want people who are productive people and I will tell you that the people who can pay USD 5 million they're going to create jobs. They're going to spend a lot of money on jobs. They're going to have to pay taxes on that too so they're going to be hiring people, they're going to be bringing people in and companies in," Donald Trump had said. First Published: June 12, 2025, 07:03 IST
