With Covid lurking, unemployment remains high across most sectors. However, this is not the case in the U.S. Manufacturing industry. Throughout the pandemic manufacturers have lost 1 in every 10 jobs. This was far better than many other sectors, including service jobs, which lost nearly 6 of every 10. To protect from a post pandemic recession, America needs the manufacturing industry to bounce back. The opportunity is there. The jobs are available, but unfortunately the qualified skilled worker is harder to find than likely ever before.
“I’ve never seen it this bad,” said Arnold, president of Look Trailers, based in Middlebury, Indiana. Look builds utility trailers, which are in heavy demand from small businesses such as landscapers and plumbers as well as hobbyists who use them to haul motorcycles or other bulky sports equipment.
The lack of workers means lost business for Arnold and his customers. One of his dealers normally has about $2 million in inventory on his lot, but right now only has about $200,000. The average price of a trailer is $3,400.
Wages at his trailer factories are already far above state or federal minimums. The average starting pay is $19 an hour, while workers with skills such as welders make $24 an hour or more. “People talk about the oil boom in the Dakotas – how workers would get in their car and drive out to get jobs,” he said. “We have the same thing here, a jobs boom. But nobody’s coming.”
To read the full article follow this link: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-economy-jobs-manufacturing-idINKBN2BP0ZI