In many ways, manufacturing in America has never been doing better than it is today.
Manufacturers across the country, like Emerson, are growing. They’re investing and they’re hiring, due in no small part to pro-growth policies out of Washington like tax reform and critical regulatory reform. And yet, manufacturing’s success is simultaneously fueling a burgeoning crisis which, unless sufficiently addressed, threatens both the future of the industry and our economy as a whole.
A recent survey by the National Association of Manufacturers tells the story. It found more than 90 percent of manufacturers expressing optimism about the future and nearly as many, about 75 percent, expressing deep concerns about their ability to attract and retain a quality workforce moving forward.
Inspiring more Americans to imagine themselves as manufacturing workers may be the top challenge facing America’s most iconic industry, but it’s also one that NAM is working hard to overcome. One of the ways we’re doing so is through one of our most impactful initiatives, Manufacturing Day, which kicks off across the country today.
MFG Day is when thousands of manufacturers and technical schools around the country open their doors to parents, teachers, and, most importantly, students to show them the reality of modern manufacturing. A wide array of companies put on presentations of all kinds, from rocket launches to augmented reality apps, all with the goal of bringing modern manufacturing to life.
Why does this matter? Because while the reasons for manufacturing’s workforce crisis are varied, what we manufacturers find most often is that Americans simply have an outdated perception of what modern manufacturing careers actually look like. As many who attend an MFG Day event learn, today’s manufacturing careers are often high-skill, high-tech, and pay more on average than jobs in other industries, and they often don’t require a college degree.
So, we know that we need to encourage more Americans to join the manufacturing workforce. We also need to help Americans get the right skills to actually land these careers. This has made education in science, technology, engineering, and math critically important to support the next generation of workers and, by extension, ensure the industry’s future success.
That is why manufacturers like Emerson and the NAM are partnering with educational institutions and state groups to send a message: “Creators Wanted” — and we have the tools and resources to get you on a manufacturing path.
Manufacturing’s workforce crisis is a big challenge that threatens not just one industry but our entire economy. But if we commit to working together to increase the skills of the workforce and change minds about modern manufacturing, today’s best day will be dwarfed by the successes of tomorrow.
David Farr is CEO and Chairman of Emerson and board chair of the National Association of Manufacturers.
