The Skill Gap in U.S. Manufacturing: How to Fill The Hardest Manufacturing Positions

Posted December 17 2012

The skill gap in American manufacturing has never been wider. According the 2011 Skills Gap Study commissioned by the Manufacturing Institute and conducted by Deloitte:

• 67% of U.S. manufacturers report a moderate to severe shortage of available, qualified workers.
• 56% anticipate the shortage will grow worse in the next three to five years.
• 5% of current jobs at respondent manufacturers are unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates.
• Respondents say access to a highly skilled, flexible workforce is the most important factor to their effectiveness, ranking significantly higher than new product innovation and increased market share.

This worsening talent shortage has been an issue for years and continues to threaten the future effectiveness of the U.S. manufacturing industry. High unemployment isn't helping because the people who are out of work don't have the specialized training and skills needed to fill these positions in today's marketplace.

Manufacturers recognize the importance of recruiting and developing talent in order to bridge the skill gap. Unfortunately, most rely on outdated approaches for finding the most qualified candidates, developing their employees' skills, and improving their performance.

This is why Bear Staffing can play such a critical role in the long-term growth and stability of your manufacturing operation.

Bear understands the unique and evolving needs of today's manufacturers in industries like aerospace, semiconductor, automotive and medical equipment. We know how to find and evaluate candidates who have are trained in engineering, robotics, computers and other specialized skills.

Strategize-Segment-Swarm, our proven recruitment process inspired by Six Sigma, enables us to collect and analyze data, develop a customized strategy to create applicant flow, conduct comprehensive candidate screenings, and produce a swarm of qualified applicants.

The hardest manufacturing jobs to fill have the biggest impact on performance. This continues to take a serious toll on manufacturers' ability to expand operations, drive innovation and improve productivity. Bear Staffing can help you reverse this trend.

Contact us to learn more about how Bear Staffing can help you recruit qualified candidates for hard-to-fill manufacturing positions.