Why aren't Americans filling the manufacturing jobs we already have?

[Dulcinea]

(NPR) President Trump has been upending the global economy in the name of bringing manufacturing back. President Joe Biden signed into law massive investments aimed at doing something similar. The American manufacturing sector is reviving after decades of decay.

But there's something a bit weird undercutting this movement to reshore factory jobs: American manufacturers say they are struggling to fill the jobs they already have.

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are nearly half a million open manufacturing jobs right now.

Last year, the Manufacturing Institute, a non-profit aimed at developing America's manufacturing workforce, and Deloitte, a consultancy firm, surveyed more than 200 manufacturing companies. More than 65% percent of the firms said recruiting and retaining workers was their number one business challenge.

https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2025/05/13/g-s1-66112/why-arent-americans-filling-the-manufacturing-jobs-we-already-have

[Lovie777]

1. Nazi White South African workers?.................

[Voltaire2]

2. Because the pay is shit?

[Diamond_Dog]

3. Right wingers love to parrot

“Nobody in this country wants to work!”

When it’s actually “nobody wants to work for shit pay.”

[Lonestarblue]

4. Depending on where these jobs are located, the difficulty may be related to racism and misogyny.

A friend’s son owned and operated a small manufacturing company for several years in a small town in a red state. No women or minorities were ever hired. The only excuse for not hiring women was that jobs required some heavy lifting. No excuse other than racism for not hiring minorities.

[Mopar151]

5. Idiots need not apply!

Conscientiousness is a must! As is the ability to follow directions, and document your work.

[jmbar2]

6. Take that with a big grain of salt

Companies have screwed up their hiring processes with too much automation, and too many hoops to get through. Only the unicorns get through now.

The length of time for unemployed folks to get jobs has never been longer. When I was working, it wasn't uncommon to send out 30-40 applications to get an appointment. Today, job seekers are sending out hundreds.

[EarlG]

7. Because "American manufacturing" is American iconography

People have a romantic view of the history of American manufacturing, apparently to the point where if politicians go out there and say "We should bring back manufacturing!" everyone goes "Yeah!" without thinking about it. But if you ask people if they actually want to go and work in a factory, well:

80% Of Americans Say The Country Would Be Better Off With More Manufacturing Jobs — But Only 25% Want One Themselves

A 2024 Cato Institute survey found that 80% of Americans believe the country would be better off with more manufacturing jobs. But when asked if they personally would prefer a factory job over their current work, only 25% agreed. About 73% said no, and just 2% of respondents actually work in manufacturing today.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/80-americans-country-better-off-000045129.html

Due to automation, American manufacturing output has increased over the last 40 years (according to the article above). But while factory jobs are obviously important and necessary, it seems that most people would prefer to work in an air conditioned office than sweat in a factory for 10 hours a day. That's what societies are supposed to evolve towards, in theory -- a reduction in back-breaking hard labor, and an increase in leisure time.

Trump has managed to convince a large portion of the country that a) America is in decline, and it's because b) American manufacturing is in decline, and therefore c) if we want to Make America Great Again we need to d) put Americans back to work in factories.

But it doesn't make sense. Manufacturing in the US is already highly automated -- which increases profits for factory owners because they don't have to pay dozens of people to do the job a machine can do. So we've got a situation where factory owners don't want to get rid of their automation and hire lots of workers instead, and even if they did, Americans generally do not want to go and work in those factories. Yet somehow everyone has gotten the idea that that's what needs to happen.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. Working for the man remains working for the man.

[doc03]

9. It is not just manufacturing. I see help wanted signs everywhere, apparently we don't

have enough people to fill any job.

[Midnight Writer]

10. Manufacturing jobs are not bad if you have a decent union.

Of course, the manufacturers would rather spend billions lobbying for tax breaks and de-regulation than giving respect to the people who do the work.

[Skittles]

11. IT'S JUST ANOTHER COVER STORY

Trump is all about CORRUPTION

he doesn't give a FUCK about American jobs

[msongs]

12. applicants want to spend their shifts phone talking and net surfing instead of working. nt