With Manufacturing Jobs Returning to America, What Does It Mean for Manufacturing Job Seekers?

Reshoring is on its way for the US, due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, especially for the tech manufacturing sector.

According to Business Standard, President Donald Trump is all set to tax the companies that are shifting their manufacturing bases to other countries instead of reshoring them back to US soil. Apart from the COVID-19 outbreak, the manufacturing base has been under scrutiny for decades now. The virus outbreak has only further hastened the process.

Another report by Industry Week reveals that in 1965, the US manufacturing sector accounted for 53% of the country’s economy, which decreased to 39% by 1988 and 9% today. Increased globalization, outsourcing, and evolving skills were the primary reasons behind the shifting of manufacturing base to other countries, where labor costs were much lower.

However, things are going to change for the better now. This also brings good news for the employable population, as large-scale manufacturing jobs will soon be available.

So, what should you do if you wish to get a job in the manufacturing sector?

Robust Communication Skills
You need to have strong communication skills to excel in the manufacturing sector, which involves hundreds and thousands of skilled/unskilled workers. No matter what industry you’re employed in, communication with the team is essential to increase productivity, meet deadlines, and resolve issues. This apart, based on your role, you may also need to communicate regularly with the stakeholders of the company and update them on the business proceedings face-to-face or through video conferencing, further increasing the importance of communication.

Technology and automation skills
For the tech manufacturing industry, skills in technology, AI automation, and machine learning are integral for increasing your employability scope. While many jobs will require manual labor, more will take the help of AI-induced, tech-focused ideas to improve efficiency. Social distancing is going to be there now, further emphasizing the need for automation. So, if you want to cement a powerful position in the manufacturing industry, this may be the right time to upgrade your tech skills to achieve the necessary business goals.

Ability to think critically
The manufacturing workers should be able to troubleshoot smaller issues, develop innovative solutions for recurrent problems, and do all without the help of the supervisors. If you’re applying for the position of a supervisor yourself, or a manager, you should be able to think critically to take effective decisions on the entire team’s behalf. This apart, such skills will also help you think out of the box for innovative ways of overcoming the day-to-day challenges.

STEM skills
STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics skills is indispensable for jobs in the manufacturing sector. For the production of diverse goods and offering effective services, companies are on the lookout for these skills that can help them take tricky yet profitable decisions without hampering the quality of production. As more and more manufacturing companies will be relying on the process of automation, you cannot excel in the job without the necessary STEM skills. These skills will also help you enhance operations and improve production ends with revenue generation topping the list of priorities.

Flexibility of learning
In a manufacturing job, the employees need to be flexible enough to adapt to changing trends and technologies by learning continuously along the way. They should depict an eagerness to learn complicated machine operations, quality control, and industrial applications besides other things. They should also possess the ability to focus on details to troubleshoot technical issues and prevent any reduction in productivity. Last but not least, the workers should also show immense dependability skills without the need for micromanaging.

Be a good cultural fit
When the manufacturing jobs return to the US, there’s no doubt that people from multiple cultural and ethnic origins will apply for the same. Hence, the candidates should be a good cultural fit for the organization they will be applying for, as they will have to work as a team towards the same goals to ensure successful business operations. Having people with strong prejudices against co-workers of different cultural origins may degrade the work atmosphere

Wrapping it up
The manufacturing jobs will solve a big chunk of unemployment issues, once they return to the US shores. As there is still time for that to happen, you can use your time effectively to upgrade your skills in the aforementioned categories and increase your chances of getting employed.

Take online tuitions, opt for a professional/technical course, and do whatever’s necessary to get the jobs, once they return to the US soil. Above all, you should keep track of the manufacturing jobs on the job portals to be among the first applicants. We wish you the best of luck in your job-seeking endeavor!