Manufacturing Industry Sees Increase in Job Openings

According to an article on Money.CNN.com, the manufacturing industry has good news to report: the number of job openings for skilled factory workers has gone up 38% since 2005.

The numbers come from the Conference Board, that measures labor demand across industries. The biggest increase in openings for skilled workers has been 152% and has occurred in the last three years or so.

The Conference Board said that the states with the highest demand for skilled workers are Ohio, Michigan, Texas, California, Illinois, and Indiana. Employers range from small parts makers that contract with large manufacturers to mid-size and large assemblers in the auto, aerospace, and industrial metals industries.

Positions include machinists, tool-and-die makers, and computer-aided machine operators. Starting salaries can be as much as $45,000 to $50,000 with overtime a common option because of the shortage of workers.

The increase in domestic factory workers is prompted by a number of factors including the changing economics of manufacturing, as well as sky-rocketing costs for overseas labor and raw materials.

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