Michigan Talent & the Skills Gap (Manufacturing)

Originally Published: January 27, 2013 8:00 PM  Modified: January 28, 2013 2:31 AM

OTHER VOICES: Talent crisis in manufacturing is real

If you want to know if a problem is real, ask those who are impacted by it the most -- those who are on the front line. 

The "talent crisis" has received a lot of attention, including in a few opinion pieces stating that there is no shortage of skilled workers. But you won't hear this from manufacturers, because they have jobs they are unable to fill and are working to change cultural assumptions and critical systems to find skilled workers now and keep the pipeline full in the future. 

Manufacturing led the economic recovery and continues to be an employment leader in Michigan, with about 16,000 new jobs in 2012, 10,000 expected in 2013 and 9,000 in 2014, according to a recent report by University of Michigan economist George Fulton. We are already behind the proverbial 8-ball on the talent crisis, and the problem will only get worse if we don't do something about it now. 

The gap between supply and demand will continue to grow as more baby boomers exit the workforce, making it increasingly difficult not only to hire workers for new positions, but to fill the existing positions that will be vacated. 

Michigan is a manufacturing state, and our economic success depends on the success of this, our largest economic sector, so we are all in this together. It is by working together -- industry, educators and government officials -- that we will solve this crisis and meet the talent needs of advanced manufacturing. 

The good news is that progress is being made in bringing business and education together to work toward solutions. The Michigan Manufacturers Association and the Michigan Community College Association have launched a coalition called the Manufacturing Middle-Skill Talent Alliance that will bring community colleges -- as the No. 1 training partners to the manufacturing industry -- to the table to work on proactive, measurable and well-defined projects to help meet the need for skilled workers. 

The next step is to work with the Michigan Workforce Development Agency to create statewide talent networks to tackle the problem at the community level. All stakeholders will be invited and encouraged to participate. The MMA also plans to bring manufacturers together to form a talent leadership group to create, implement and promote manufacturing-specific solutions. And plans are in the works for a sequel to a recent MMA/Michigan Economic Development Corp. manufacturing talent summit to expand on the lessons learned, best practices shared and connections made. 

It will take everyone, working together, to solve the talent crisis in manufacturing. Manufacturers, educators and economic developers need to step up and become a part of the solutions we are all seeking. 

Chuck Hadden is president and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association.