Want a Job? Get a Manufacturing Degree!

One of the biggest challenges facing the manufacturing industry right now is a shortage of skilled workers. Seriously. Manufacturing companies want to hire more people, but there aren’t enough qualified workers to fill the positions. The problem is too few young people are majoring in Engineering and gaining the high-tech skills necessary to be able to fill all of the vacancies that are opening up in this industry, according to a CNNMoney article. Unless the rising generation of workers changes its ways, this could become a major problem for the manufacturing industry.

Spurning the Stigma

The modern manufacturing industry is much different than the stereotypes many people associate with it. Gone are the days of people with hand tools on an assembly line twisting the same screw or hammering the same nail day after day. Today, engineers are expected to have college degrees and be familiar with advanced machines and tools. Machinists, tool makers, programmers and operators of computer-controlled equipment are all in high demand right now at many U.S. factories. However, some young people have been turned away from pursuing these career paths because the manufacturing industry has been portrayed as a dying industry for so long. In reality, the industry has spent the last few decades eliminating jobs because it’s become more efficient in its manufacturing processes. Yes, there are fewer low-skill jobs available, but there are plenty of high-skill jobs that are popping up all the time.

Opportunity Knocks

Of course, manufacturing jobs aren’t for everyone. Not every worker is technologically inclined, so I don’t mean to pressure you into a career that you wouldn’t find fulfilling. However, I do recommend that if you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to find you, stop waiting and start taking the initiative to better your situation. Here’s an opportunity that is pounding on the door and begging for people to answer its call. But other prospects might be more subtle, and you’ll need to hunt for them. Whatever the case, I urge you to find out what you’re most passionate about and start gaining the necessary skills to succeed in that endeavor. If you don’t have the resources to get those skills right now, you can go to charitable organizations, like the CAM Foundation, for help.