Scott Walker Governor of Wisconsin
FOCUS ON THE
WorkForce
Wisconsin Manufacturing: Innovative Approaches to Address the Skills Gap
I
f you visit a modern manufacturing facility today, you will likely see what I have as I’ve toured some of Wisconsin’s many manufacturing facilities. You invariably will find clean, safe, high-tech production facilities with workers operating sophisticated, computer-con- trolled equipment. The workers are earning family-supporting wages in positions that offer good pay, benefits, and the satis- faction that comes from work that is engaging and challenging, and requires a team approach to problem solving and success. There are many jobs available for individuals who either have the necessary skills or are taking steps to gain them, and it’s vital for us to get this message across to our current and future workforce.
Aside from our state’s improving economy, another key factor is the loss of older, skilled workers as baby boomers retire. The need for skilled production workers is constant as manufacturers add jobs and try to fill vacancies. Manufacturing jobs offer good pay. In Wisconsin, the average annual wage for manufacturing workers is just over $10,000 more than the average wage of other workers, $52,413 a year versus $41,985.
High school students and their teachers who visited Wis- consin manufacturing sites last October during Manufacturing Month were surprised to learn what entry-level jobs pay. The students were equally, if not more, impressed by the number of new pickup trucks in the lots and the young workers driving
According to some projections, Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector will add nearly 19,000 jobs during the 10-year stretch ending in 2020.
According to some projections, Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector will add nearly 19,000 jobs during the 10-year stretch ending in 2020. On Wisconsin’s premier online job search resource,
JobCenterofWisconsin.Com, job openings statewide have exceeded 60,000, with production occupations consis- tently in greatest demand.
Manufacturers have expressed their frustration to me time and again about the skills gap. One key factor is our state’s growing economy. Our state’s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest point since 2008, and the latest available data shows we’ve added thousands of manufacturing jobs from December 2010 through December 2012. And, with approximately one out of every five Wisconsin jobs in manufacturing, our state has one of the highest concentrations in manufacturing in the country.
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ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com | July 2014
them away at the end of their shift. What makes manufacturing appealing for many is that the path to rewarding careers can begin with a variety of training and education options. Rather than a four-year degree from a liberal arts college or university, an individual can earn a two-year degree from a technical col- lege, or a certificate with short-term training.
Since 2011, Wisconsin has made substantial investments in workforce development, approximately $135 million within the past year alone. This includes Wisconsin Fast Forward (WFF), a worker training grant program that will provide up to $15 million in state-funded matching grants for customized worker training that is employer-driven.
Wisconsin Fast Forward brings together businesses, work- force and economic development organizations, and training
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