October is national Manufacturers Month, celebrating the history and evolution of manufacturing as a primary economic engine in the United States. Manufacturing supplies the economy with value-added goods that have traditionally provided the economy with mid- to high-level wages in occupational opportunities that run the spectrum from low- to high-skill. In Yavapai County, the manufacturing sector alone employs 3,717 people, a 23 percent growth rate over the past five years, with average wages at $50,774.
Technology and automation have become increasingly important factors in the past 15 years in this sector, bringing the manufacturing industry into the knowledge economy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 53 percent of manufacturing workers had no education past high school in 2000. By 2015, that number fell to 44 percent while the portion of workers with associate, bachelor or graduate degrees increased by eight percent. Local and national employers have had a difficult time filling positions as the skill sets required increasingly involve cross-training and technical skills.
The Wall Street Journal recently explored these conditions stating that companies feel education and training systems have not evolved concurrently with industry needs. Due to the loss of manufacturing jobs in the past 15 years, colleges reduced education in this field. They found that most middle-skilled jobs “require education or training beyond high school, like an apprenticeship or a course at community college.” According to a 2015 survey by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, an industry-backed non-profit, “eight in ten manufacturing executives said the expanding skills gap will affect their ability to keep up with customer demand.” They found it takes an average of 70 days to fill a job for a skilled production worker.
This reflects a trend across industry sectors in the United States. Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce recently released a report appropriately entitled “America’s Divided Recovery: College Haves and Have Nots.” It explores the dilemma facing American workers in 2016, noting that more than 95 percent of jobs established during the recovery period have required some college education. 11.5 million out of 11.6 million jobs created in the past eight years have been filled by those with at least some post-secondary education. During the recovery, those jobs requiring a graduate degree have gained 3.8 million jobs, those requiring a bachelor’s gained 4.6 million jobs, and those requiring an associate’s gained 3.1 million jobs. Comparatively, jobs requiring a minimum of a high school diploma have gained only 80,000 jobs.
The modern era has forced educators to contemplate new approaches to content, focusing on interdisciplinary skills that create a well-rounded production employee capable of understanding both traditional methods of production (like hand mills and lathes) while also becoming proficient in the newest technology. Mathematics, reading comprehension and writing skills are increasingly emphasized as in-demand traits for new employees. The Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center has provided a venue for local employers to provide feedback and participate intimately in workforce development. The center holds quarterly employer roundtables for curriculum input, facilitates the development of registered apprenticeships where full-time employees have a set academic pathway at the college, and expands knowledge of the sector in the community by providing student tours, internships and job placement services. These are proven and promising strategies to building a strong manufacturing culture and economic diversity with concomitant community wealth. QCBN
By Alexandria M. Wright
Alexandria M. Wright, is the director Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center. The Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center provides analysis and services that facilitate economic development throughout Yavapai County and build wealth in our local communities.