U.S. manufacturers aren't the only ones pounding the pavement for talent. A Manpower Inc. survey released in March of nearly 37,000 employers in 27 countries shows that 41% of companies worldwide are having problems filling skilled positions. U.S. employers mirror the global average, with 41% of 2,407 respondents reporting talent voids.
Worldwide, manufacturing-related positions that are in short supply of workers include skilled manual trades -- ranking second overall -- followed by technicians in third and engineers in fourth. Laborers, production operators and machinists/machine operators ranked in the bottom half of the top 10 jobs that employers are having difficulty filling. Countries with the lowest percentage of skilled-worker shortages include India, Ireland, the Netherlands and China.
Who's Seeking Workers | |
| Country | Percentage of respondents facing talent shortages |
| Costa Rica | 93% |
| Mexico | 82% |
| New Zealand | 62% |
| Australia | 61% |
| Japan | 61% |
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