- Report forecasts that the manufacturing sector will have 2.3 million unfilled positions by 2030 under current trends, resulting in a $1 trillion loss to U.S. economic output
- COVID-19 pandemic creates additional challenges, as the sector is already down more than half a million jobs compared to last year
- Report advocates for attracting more women and minorities to manufacturing careers
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
The manufacturing sector is on track to have millions of jobs unfilled by the end of the decade, according to a report by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute.
The report determined that a decades-long gravitation away from trade schools and dwindling interest in manufacturing careers, despite their generous compensation, is already creating challenges for manufacturers looking to fill positions. It forecasts that the sector will be unable to fill 2.3 million jobs by 2030, reducing the United States’ economic output by $1 trillion.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation, as the manufacturing sector is already down 570,000 jobs compared to last year despite a healthy number of job openings
- Other issues include varying skill requirements across the sector and between different companies, and a limited number of workers with certain skill sets in some areas
- Report suggests that more needs to be done to attract women and minorities to manufacturing careers, especially as these groups have been disproportionately affected by pandemic-related job losses
