A new report suggests Michigans advanced manufacturing jobs are not just surviving the recession, but actually thriving and account for two-thirds of the states industrial workforce.
Manufacturers that use advanced processes and produce advanced products generally pay higher wages and employ higher rates of productivity than other subsectors of manufacturing, according to the report prepared by the Anderson Economic Group for the University Research Corridor.
Citing data from 2007, which was the most recent available, job losses in advanced manufacturing throughout Michigan was not nearly as widespread as those seen in other areas of manufacturing over the last 10 years.
Though many companies in advanced manufacturing were hit during the recession, there were several notable areas of growth. According to the report, employment for medical equipment and supply manufacturing grew 10.8% to 8,434 people, and jobs in navigational, measuring, medical and control equipment grew 18% to 11,257 as of 2007.
Overall, Michigan had 381,000 advanced manufacturing jobs at 11,000 businesses, accounting for 10.3% of state workers and 16.2% of payroll, according to the 2007 data.
