Manufacturing Employers
Work experience is key
Highlights
1.Manufacturers placed employability skills and a lack of technical skills as their top reasons for hiring difficulty, and a low number of applicants landed in the lower half of reasons. 2.Work experience/demonstrated skills are more frequently important to manufacturers than average employers. 3.In the past two years, more manufacturers increased emphasis on work experience and certifications relative to the average employer. 4.Manufacturers were more likely to partner with community colleges or a local NCWorks Career Center or Workforce Board.Manufacturing Similarities to Average Employers
Manufacturers were similar to average employers in several ways:
- One third of Manufacturing employers that tried to hire entry-level workers experienced hiring difficulties.
- Slightly more than half of Manufacturing respondents offered at least one work-based learning opportunity.
- One third of Manufacturing employers used AI, with no recent impact on employment and low expected impacts on worker demand.
- Among Manufacturing employers, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity and innovation were expected to become more important in the future due to AI.
Differences from Average Employers
1. Manufacturers placed employability skills and a lack of technical skills as their top reasons for hiring difficulty and a low number of applicants landed in the lower half of reasons.
2. Work experience/demonstrated skills were more frequently important to manufacturers than average employers.
3. In the past two years, more manufacturers increased emphasis on work experience and certifications relative to the average employer.
4. Manufacturers were more likely to partner with community colleges or a local NCWorks Career Center or Workforce Board.
What This Says About Manufacturing
The lower likelihood of encountering a low number of applicants as a hiring difficulty runs counter to a common assumption about the industry and previous survey data. A 2025 story from NPR reports that manufacturing is struggling to fill positions, in part because it is seen as a dying industry. However, in 2024, 57% of manufacturers cited a low number of applicants as a hiring difficulty, compared to the current 40%. It is unclear what drove this unexpected decline, but it will be interesting to see if this change is here to stay.
Beyond this, the differences between Manufacturing employers and businesses in general may stem from the importance of on-the-job learning rather than time in the classroom. Manufacturers were less likely to assign importance to credentials than average employers, while placing significantly more weight on work experience and demonstrated skills.
This also likely contributes to hiring difficulties: manufacturers were significantly more likely to say applicants lacked technical and employability skills. That being said, this sector seems to be already familiar with work-based learning as a strategy for growing talent. Manufacturers offered apprenticeships at significantly higher rates and partnered more often with community colleges and NCWorks Career Centers than businesses overall. For more strategies to develop and retain skilled workers, read through our full report via the link below.