October is Manufacturing Month in the state of Wisconsin. Manufacturing has been an integral part of the employment landscape in this state and it will continue to provide increasing opportunities in the coming years. It is expected that nearly three and a half million manufacturing jobs will likely become available over the next decade, largely due to economic expansion, a retiring workforce and greater demand than supply of skilled workers.
Gone are the old manufacturing jobs that used to be the backbone of American industry.
The new face of manufacturing will rely on innovation and the anticipation of future trends in global commerce.
Wisconsin technical colleges are steadily preparing the next generation of manufacturing workers through customized training programs, which will prepare them for an expanding field which offers good pay, good benefits and a challenging and rewarding career. Wisconsin will need these skilled workers, since it is anticipated that two million out of the three and half million openings in the next decade will remain unfilled.
Currently, Wisconsin has more than 450,000 manufacturing jobs, which is 87 percent higher than the national average. Average pay for a worker is $54,400 per year and 84 percent of workers receive health insurance benefits though their employer. There is no better time to consider a career in manufacturing since the outlook is good and the rewards are great.
As part of SEEK Careers/Staffing’s effort to encourage employment in the manufacturing industry, it has created a program called Project Reboot. Project Reboot matches job applicants in need of steel-toed boots with pairs which have been donated to local SEEK branches. These boots are a necessary but often cost prohibitive requirement for employment in manufacturing. Since its inception in 2015, over 1000 pairs of boots have been donated through Project Reboot and over 500 have been re-booted to needy employees. For this initiative, SEEK Careers/Staffing was recognized by the American Staffing Association with an Honorable Mention award for Corporate Social Responsibility. This national awards program recognizes outstanding corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in business processes that produce an overall positive effect on society.
SEEK Careers/Staffing also offers a Trainable Fit program, which places qualified candidates in an on-the-job training environment to provide them with the necessary experience for a career in Skilled Manufacturing. SEEK is working together with the manufacturing industry to find and train the next generation of manufacturing workers.
