Regardless of layoffs and hiring slowdowns, American manufacturers either still face a shortage of qualified workers, or will when they resume hiring. The situation is similar in Japan. Kawamoto Isao, president of Kawamoto Works, said in Look Japan recently, "The number of trained craftsmen in Japanese manufacturing today is decreasing. I am determined to pass on our skills and artisanship to the next generation. We have been providing continual training to the employees who will inherit our technologies, to ensure that our company will remain in good hands."
Here in the United States, Intel is moving aggressively to ensure itself an adequate future workforce. Writing in The Wall Street Journal recently, David Wessel reports that, even though Intel is eliminating 5,000 jobs because of tough business conditions, it went forward with one of its regular college administrator tours. Intel reportedly spent more than $10,000 to send five employees and 12 community college presidents and deans on a 3-day tour through Texas and New Mexico, visiting Intel's Albuquerque chip-making plant and four community colleges that Intel considers models. The reason behind this is simply to help ensure that, 5 years from now, there will be an ample supply of workers for Intel's new plants in Colorado and Massachusetts.