Great assessment in Bloomberg LP on manufacturing’s skills gap. The Manufacturing Institute study in 2018 showed that manufacturing will have 2.4 million unfilled jobs by 2028 due to the lack of skilled workers.
The pandemic has blighted the career prospects of millions of Americans — but even after this crisis has passed, harnessing the country’s potential will be a formidable challenge for the new administration. To build a strong and lasting recovery, with a thriving, well-paid workforce, the U.S. will have to get a lot better at equipping people with the skills the economy needs.
The task starts with K-12 education, because that’s where inequality and lack of opportunity begin. If the schools fail, no later interventions can make up the difference. As the country lays this stronger foundation, a comprehensive workforce agenda should boost investments in career and technical education, help workers get training, and build partnerships between educational providers and employers. Immigration reform also has a role, because foreigners with talent and ambition can help revitalize the economy.
