SUPPLYCHAINBRAIN: The U.S. manufacturing sector’s current unemployment level remains high, but the future presents a critical issue. Over the next five to ten years, 20% to 40% of the population could retire, leaving a significant gap. In an interview with SupplyChainBrain, DHR’s Lisa Walker sheds light on the challenges faced by manufacturers dealing with a shortage of workers in the years ahead. Estimates suggest that 2.1 million manufacturing jobs might go unfilled by 2030, resulting in a staggering $1 trillion in costs that year alone.
Solutions? Manufacturers must change the perception of their industry. Increased compensation is essential to make manufacturing jobs more attractive, and the manufacturing workforce of the future will require different skills, aligned with advances in automation and sophisticated information systems.