In March 2013, a Manufacturing Leadership Council survey was conducted by Frost & Sullivan with 226 manufacturers. The survey’s intent was to understand manufacturers’ current workforce strategies, ask about future strategies, and observe key trends. Specifically, the authors wanted to know more about the availability of production-level employees. Well, they found out, and it doesn’t look good.

Survey respondents said they currently have trouble finding qualified workers, and they expect this unsettling trend to continue over the next five to 10 years. The skills the respondents want in production employees include engineering, technical, management, and computer science, in that order. They also want functional skills such as analytics, computer proficiency, lean, Six Sigma, advanced materials, logistics, supply chain, design, sales, industrial networking, and collaboration. Whew! That is quite a list. I’ll bet those manufacturers have done some serious planning for their operations’ workforces.

Surprise! They have not!

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