Survey Says Manufacturers Need to Engage Fresh Talent

ThomasNet.com's sixth annual Industry Market Barometer (IMB) survey of American manufacturers shows a strong positive outlook for the 1,200 respondents, whose companies are growing, exploiting new technologies, and innovating, the company says. But the IMB also indicates a lack of urgency among companies when it comes to bringing in fresh talent.

The respondents to this year's IMB were heavily represented by workers who are 45 and older. With Generation Y (age 18-32) projected to make up 75 percent of the workforce by 2025, ThomasNet.com believes manufacturers need a collective "succession plan" to recruit them. Yet, eight out of ten respondents report that this generation represents a small fraction of their employee base, and most don't see that changing soon. Adding to the challenge: Three out of four IMB respondents (73 percent) say negative perceptions are deterring young people from signing up, despite an abundance of job openings for engineers, skilled trade workers, production managers, and sales and marketing professionals at manufacturing companies.

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Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.