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Saturday, August 28, 2010

America's Most Wanted: Skilled Workers | Manufacturing Business Technology

America's Most Wanted: Skilled Workers | Manufacturing Business Technology
America's Most Wanted: Skilled Workers


The looming skilled worker shortage is an unwelcome threat to the nation’s manufacturing base that needs to be addressed at multiple levels, from better educating the next generation of factory workers to improving the public’s image of plant work.

by Gerald Shankel, President and CEO Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International

Consider a manufacturing career amid media reports of shuttered factories, job losses, and the worst economy since the Depression? Although certainly counter-intuitive, the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!” Despite the shaky economy, scores of American manufacturers are reporting a dire need for skilled labor.

Industry surveys reinforce this claim. According to the 2009 Manpower Talent Shortage Survey, among the most difficult jobs to fill in North