As our economy continues to recover, manufacturers across Minnesota are facing a surprising challenge. Many wellpaying manufacturing jobs across our state are going unfilled because there are not enough qualified employees to fill them.
That’s tragic when so many people are out of work. Having just addressed the Manufacturing Summit of 2010 I was not only reminded of the important role manufacturing will play in our state’s economic recovery, but of the need for industry leaders and policymakers to work together to ensure that we produce enough well-trained workers to allow employers to expand and innovate.
Manufacturing accounts for one in every seven jobs in our state. As baby boomers begin retiring next year, the number of well-trained, entry-level workers to replace them could leave Minnesota employers tens of thousands of workers short. The looming shortage of qualified workers is partly due to the outdated perceptions that many young people have about manufacturing jobs, students are often unaware of manufacturing job
opportunities and the skills they need to pursue them.
I have visited manufacturers across Minnesota and found that our employers need workers with science, technology, engineering, and math skills who can quickly master multiple tasks using hightech machinery and tools. Earlier this year, I toured Pine Technical College in Pine City and realized how dramatically manufacturing jobs have changed and how manufacturing represents a whole world of good-paying career opportunities for people with the right training.
As a member of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, I know that arming students with the core skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy needs to be a central priority as we update federal education laws like No Child Left Behind in the coming months.
Our state should not only celebrate the strength of Minnesota’s manufacturers, but also work to teach the next generation of workers that a career in manufacturing means a well-paying career in the jobs of the future. People interested in a manufacturing career can learn more by checking with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
Sen. Al Franken
Washington, D.C.
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