Creators Wanted: Enhancing Pathways to Manufacturing
Manufacturing has a branding problem, and it’s part of the reason behind waning interest in industrial careers. Children don’t grow up dreaming about becoming line workers or performing the same laborious tasks day in and day out. Unfortunately, that’s still the perception many have about manufacturing.
Creators Wanted seeks to change this misconception — among others. The organization is working hard to educate young people about what modern manufacturing represents and about the exciting careers they can pursue across the spectrum of industry. Call it a manufacturing rebranding aimed at building the future of manufacturing.
Calling all creators
The factories of today (and tomorrow) need workers. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, a staggering 2.1 million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by 2030. That’s an alarming figure, especially considering the importance of manufacturing to the U.S. economy. The cost of those unfilled jobs could reach more than $1 trillion just in the year 2030 alone.
Why the grim outlook? Finding the right talent is difficult for manufacturers, and it’s expected to remain that way for the foreseeable future. Not only is there a growing skills gap in the field; there’s also a general lack of interest in manufacturing as a career — a sentiment that’s lingered for decades.
Introducing Creators Wanted
The Creators Wanted campaign was designed with the goal of building the manufacturing workforce of tomorrow. A joint initiative by the Manufacturing Institute and the National Association of Manufacturers, Creators Wanted aims to generate positive sentiment for careers in manufacturing and recruit at least 600,000 new workers for the manufacturing field by 2025. It’s a monumental task, but one that’s already showing promising results.
Reshaping American views on manufacturing for the better is the broader goal of Creators Wanted. There’s been a generally unfavorable view surrounding manufacturing careers for years, but today’s manufacturing jobs are much different from what they were in the past. Creators Wanted aims to showcase the wealth of opportunity in the field, along with the high-paying, reliable careers young people entering the field can enjoy.
In terms of concrete goals, organizers hope to boost the number of students enrolling in technical or vocational skills by 25% by 2025, along with improving parents’ perception of the industry to 50% from 27%.
Rebranding manufacturing for future workers
Creators Wanted is part of the larger manufacturing “rebrand” in America. As companies and legislators seek to bring production of everything from semiconductors to automobiles back to our shores, there’s an immediate need for a massive influx of new talent into the manufacturing space.
Producers must showcase the advantages of a career on the factory floor, including everything from safety and stability to pay and job advancement opportunities. It’s an important step in building the future of manufacturing — and one Creators Wanted will continue to champion.
