Manufacturing Hiring Trends: Employers Seeking More Diverse Skills

Abstract

According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), 32% of American manufactures reported that even during the height of the recession, they had unfilled job openings. The reason cited for this phenomenon was that American manufacturers were unable to find workers with the skills they required. The inability to close the gap between the managerial skills American manufacturers want and the skills available in the workforce continues to hinder the hiring process. In an effort to understand the disconnect, this study was conducted among manufacturers with facilities located in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan areas to determine the skills most sought after by manufacturers as they attempt to hire recent college graduates. The results revealed a shift away from the traditional skill focus of engineering curriculums toward a more rounded skill set - one relying heavily on a host of people skills and a sophisticated understanding of the cross functional relationships that exist between traditional disciplines. The study also revealed that manufactures are placing an increased emphasis on outside certifications as a way to reduce expensive in-house training costs. Finally, employers are looking to institutions of higher learning as leaders in their effort to provide the skills graduates need to succeed in manufacturing.