The COVID-19 pandemic furthered the known skilled workforce shortage within the American manufacturing industry. According to a May 2021 report by Deloitte, the manufacturing industry is currently trying to fill nearly half a million job openings, a number that is expected to grow. 1 These increasing numbers have made attracting and retaining a skilled workforce a top concern for most manufacturing organizations.
There are multiple reasons to help explain the considerable shortage of skilled workers within the manufacturing industry. The first reason is that younger individuals have different expectations for careers.
