The state of American manufacturing is in dire need of improvement. For decades, the U.S. economy has been transforming into a service-based model while the manufacturing power we associate with the American postwar capacity of the 1950s and ’60s has dispersed offshore.

This slow degradation of U.S. manufacturing capacity is coupled with fears of a significant labor shortage. A recent study by Deloitte found that by 2033, U.S. manufacturers will need about 3.8 million new workers, and half of those jobs might go unfilled. As an industry, we can’t remain on the same path and risk falling behind to an irreversible degree.

A popular narrative right now is that automation and our advancements in machine learning will help mitigate the effects of this predicted labor shortage. However, with global competitors also making strides in these areas, the U.S. faces losing ground in the global landscape.

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