Over the past few years, globalization has brought about a drastic change in the manufacturing world. No longer bound by geography, many companies have moved their production elsewhere for the lower labour costs, thanks to the advancing technologies. With the development of newer and better technologies every passing the day, the scenario keeps changing. However, when we take into consideration, the manufacturing industry, the contribution towards the economic growth is quite steady. Today, the trend is slowly reversing with the increasing labour charge, advent of machineries and many other revisiting factors.
Market Growth Projections Perk Up Rock Bridge Industry
However, the good news keeps coming from the US market and the US manufacturers. According to a survey, the manufacturing jobs have added about 1,000,000 jobs to the economy. Economists expect this trend to continue and an increase of 2,030,000 is also calculated. For better or worse, the job requirements have undergone some interesting changes in the recent past. The need for largely unskilled trainable labour is fast declining. Manufacturing sector no longer needs employees who specialize in single skills, thanks to the advent of computers and computer controlled machinery. In this era of modernization and computerization, the manufacturing sector demands labour which has a unique combination of necessary math skills, intuition, stamina and often a college degree. A high tech skill set has become somewhat inevitable.
According to a survey, the manufacturing jobs have added about 1,000,000 jobs to the economy. Economists expect this trend to continue and an increase of 2,030,000 is also calculated.
Scarcity Of Skilled Labour Still An Issue
Though there are plenty of manufacturing jobs available in the County of Rockbridge, several companies are facing a hard time to fill in the vacancies, due to the scarcity of skilled labour. Cities like Buena Vista are hiring a lot of labour for manufacturing jobs, as a part of the manufacturing month and the Brian Brown with the economic development team says that the jobs are in high demand. Numerous companies have also quoted that they are looking for people who are ready to work. However, the will to work is not the only thing that is essential to bag the job. Being able to read blueprints, do basic math and critical pieces necessary to understand what their role is, have all become the necessary qualifications for any job.
Startups Initiating Training and Development of Skilled Labour
Numerous recent start-ups have also started training for the development of skilled labour. On a survey based on five companies, it is estimated that about 35 labour jobs are open within a 35-mile radius location and they are going about an hour’s radius finding people with the right skill and abilities. It is a sad plight that the opportunities are going wasted and the sheer inability to make use of the situation is quiet disheartening. As an antidote to the tragic scenario, numerous companies have come up with the idea of starting classes from January to develop skilled labour. The companies are hoping to get some help from these classes and as a way to overcome the scarcity of skilled labour.
On a survey based on five companies, it is estimated that about 35 labour jobs are open within a 35-mile radius location and they are going about an hour’s radius finding people with the right skill and abilities.
