#83 – Inside Our Industry – There’s more to reshoring than just bringing back manufacturing jobs

There’s more to reshoring than just bringing back manufacturing jobs

Last week we shared information with our readers about reshoring and the benefits it brings to the U.S. economy, both in terms of value and manufacturing jobs. The President of the Reshoring Initiative, Harry Moser, recently posted “The Future of U.S. Competitiveness and Reshoring,” on SME.org. SME is a nonprofit association of professionals, educators and students committed to promoting and supporting the manufacturing industry.

Mr. Moser stated, “Advanced Manufacturing is the future of U.S. competitiveness and reshoring. Enhancing capabilities through the adoption of innovative technologies will increase efficiency and narrow the manufacturing cost gap with foreign competitors, thus boosting global competitiveness and enabling reshoring.”

Regarding workforce development, Mr. Moser posted the following:

 The Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, is transforming work at an unparalleled pace due to rapidly changing technologies like AI, advanced robotics and cognitive automation, advanced analytics and the Internet of Things. These innovations require a highly trained workforce to bring to fruition. As manufacturers implement advanced manufacturing technologies, they will gain new levels of efficiency, quality control and visibility. To realize the full potential of these investments, they will need skilled workers.

       New-collar workers must develop technical and soft skills through nontraditional educational paths including community colleges, vocational schools, software boot camps, technical certification programs, high-school technical education and on-the-job apprenticeships and internships as opposed to a four-year university degree. Manufacturers must incorporate lifelong learning into their business plans to develop the future workforce needed for advanced manufacturing. 

We like the term “new-collar workers.” We believe that for the industry to survive and thrive, appropriately skilled manufacturing workers will be key. Visit SME.org to learn how the group “helps manufacturers innovate, grow and prosper by promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce and connecting the manufacturing industry.”