Acquiring Workers Amid Record-High Job Openings BY MARY DRAIN
tions – the lack of interest and the lack of skilled workers. The manufacturing skills gap is not simply a buzzword - it’s the reality that many manufacturers are facing right now. There are more open job positions than there are workers ready to fill them. A 2021 study conducted by Deloitte and the Manufac- turing Institute (MI) predicts that 2.1 million manufacturing positions will go unfulfilled by 2030, and 77 percent of manufacturers say they will have ongoing difficulties in attracting and retaining workers in 2021 and beyond. So, what can we do about it? One thing we can do is continue to showcase the corrugated industry. Our industry has a great story to tell from sustainability efforts to innovation. Manufacturing kept the world moving forward while fighting a pandemic, and boxes played a large role in that. A survey released on July 28 by Parsable found 56 percent of the Gen Z respondents said their views have changed toward the field with 77 percent saying they viewed the
There are currently a record number of manufacturing job openings going unfilled, which was reported in Fibre Box
Association’s (FBA) August Eco- nomic Trends and Outlook Report created by Dick Storat of Rich- ard Storat & Associates. The U.S. manufacturing sector continues to expand, but labor shortages are one of the key constraints to a full recovery. This is not a new chal- lenge for the corrugated packag-
Mary Drain
ing industry. For years we’ve discussed the two-fold issue that exists when trying to recruit talent for plant floor posi-
manufacturing industry as more important. We need to concentrate our efforts to make it clear that our jobs can offer upward move- ment and earning potential, along with be- ing personally rewarding. One of the ways FBA does this is by pro- moting national Manufacturing (MFG) Day, which addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufactur- ers an opportunity to open their doors. It is easy to participate in MFG Day, which will be held this year on October 1, 2021. You can hold a career fair or workshop with lo- cal students, conduct a plant tour, or host an open house for visitors. All you have to do to show your support is register your event at creatorswanted.org . The other thing we can do is help bridge the skills gap: SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. They serve middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. There are local Skills USA chapters all over the country. Find one near one of your facilities and reach out. You could speak to the chapter about your job, department or our industry, host a tour at your facility or provide internship oppor- tunities - any or all the above. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foun- dation Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) Initiative practices are used across 37 U.S. states, D.C., and Canada to help employ- ers build scalable, sustainable pipelines of talent. Companies can use this approach
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10 October 4, 2021
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