Great piece by Jessie Wright-Mendoza featured on The Prepared.
The manufacturing industry in the U.S. has a problem. Nationally, manufacturing is facing a shortage of skilled labor that is predicted to worsen in the immediate future. The mass exodus of retiring baby-boomers, combined with a workforce lacking the necessary tools and training, and a public that perceives the industry as an undesirable career path are predicted to leave over 2 million manufacturing jobs unfulfilled by 2025.
The good news is that the country has a huge pool of able-bodied, trainable workers eager for steady, well-paying jobs: women, a population that’s historically been ignored by manufacturing recruiters. Despite this, manufacturers have done little to change the way they market to and engage with these potential employees, nor have many companies made moves to change workplace culture in a way that would inspire women interested in going into the field. As it is, women account for only 29% of the manufacturing workforce, despite representing 47% of the workforce as a whole.
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