According to excerpts from
the story:
A recent study by the
National Association of Manufacturers concludes that job loss has masked a
growing need for millions of skilled manufacturing workers who can handle the
“relentless advances in technology” on the shop floor. The NAM study estimates that 10 million highly skilled
workers are going to be needed by U.S. manufacturers by 2020.
Kiss [of Grand
Rapids Community College-Applied Technology Center] said one of the biggest problems faced by GRCC-ATC
is that they cannot fill the demand for highly skilled workers. “There were a
lot of open $20 an hour jobs in the last year that we just didn’t have anybody
for,” he explained. “People who have manufacturing in their backgrounds could
move into those jobs if only they would tune up their skill sets.”
[Tassel M-TEC Director]
George Waite said that manufacturers want employees who have higher
problem-solving, mathematical, and even communication skills than ever before.
One manufacturer is encouraging workers to get associate’s degrees.
Read the complete story here.
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