What is in this article?:
- Solving US Manufacturing's New Talent Challenge
- Building a Talent Pipeline for the Future
According to a recent Accenture survey of U.S. manufacturing senior executives from the automotive, industrial products, consumer goods, and electronics and high tech industry, while nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents ranked skilled trade talent as their No. 1 or No. 2 most-needed worker, almost half (48%) also ranked supervisors as the No. 1 or No. 2 need.
Building a Talent Pipeline for the Future
The need for supervisors and skilled workers is inexorably linked. For U.S. manufacturers to succeed in the 21st century, it will require that they embrace more innovative ways to attract qualified supervisors today, as well as build an internal pipeline of skilled workers, who can become the supervisors of tomorrow.
According to the Accenture research, one-quarter (25%) of manufacturing executives surveyed believe they have a significant or very significant problem with out-of-date skills in their organization. To produce an ongoing source of supervisors, reducing the skills gap will be critical. Manufacturers that constantly assess and refine the skills and capability needs of their organization, while adopting more creative talent strategies, will be in a much better position to solve the talent shortage challenge and achieve high performance.
James Robbins is automotive industry & industrial equipment industry North American managing director with Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company.
Reference: 1. Monthly Labor Review, July 17, 2000, 'Gauging the labor force effects of retiring baby-boomers,' Arlene Dohm, an economist in the Office of Employment Projections Bureau of Labor Statistics
