A study out on Nov. 22, "2005 Skills Gap Report," conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and Deloitte Consulting LLP, reports that manufacturers are currently feeling the pressure of a skilled labor shortage.
"The survey exposes a widening gap between the dwindling supply of skilled workers in America and the growing technical demands of the modern manufacturing workplace," explained NAM President John Engler. "It is essential that America close this skills gap if we are to maintain our edge in the global marketplace and remain the world's leader in innovation."
Especially worrisome, according to the report, is that 83% of respondents are currently experiencing difficulty in meeting customer demands due to the lack of skilled workers. More than half are finding it hard to meet production levels and 43% say the shortage is impeding efforts to increase productivity.
"The pain is most acute on the front line, where 90% report a moderate to severe shortage of qualified skilled production employees including machinists, operators, craft workers, distributors and technicians. Engineers and scientists are also in short supply, with 65% of respondents reporting current deficiencies," says Richard Kleinert of Deloitte Consulting LLP.
To view the study visit www.nam.org/2005skillsgap.
