A persistent theme in the business press is the presence of a skills gap in America. Thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs are unfilled because there are simply not enough qualified workers.
Workforce diversity, both in leadership and the rank-and-file, is one of those ideals to which companies aspire without needing a true “business” reason.
CHAMPAIGN, IL—For years, employers, pundits and policymakers alike have bemoaned the lack of qualified workers available to fill vacant manufacturing jobs in the U.S. However, a new study indicates that demand for higher-level skills in U.S. manufacturing jobs is generally modest, and three-quarters of U.S. manufacturing plants show no sign of hiring difficulties for open positions.
AIKEN, SC—Diesel engine manufacturer MTU America hosts an annual Girls Day event at its assembly plant here. The goal of the event is to educate young girls on careers in manufacturing and to encourage their interest in a typically male-dominated field.
While preparing for a recent trip to Ecuador, my wife and I spent hours practicing conversational Spanish. Once we got there, however, it became painfully clear that old dogs couldn’t learn new tricks.
LIVONIA, MI—Battery manufacturer A123 Systems filed suit this month against Apple Inc., alleging the electronics giant campaigned to poach employees amid reports that it’s developing an electric car.
ZEELAND TOWNSHIP, MI—Like other employers, Primera Plastics struggles to find skilled workers. But the growing plastic molding company is taking a new approach to growing its workforce: It is giving unskilled workers on-the-job training and even providing a free bus ride to work.
