Manufacturing Demographics: Salaries, Education, and Age

The manufacturing landscape is changing across the country. Companies are being affected in ways that have never been seen before. Many production facilities are bringing jobs back from overseas and developing new technologies to assist their processes. With these changes comes some concern over the current state of the quality of manufacturing candidates. Consider the current demographics surrounding the industry and look at several contributing factors to the current economy.

  • Salaries. According to an Industry Week salary survey, some positions have experienced steady raises in the last year. The average salary for a supply chain or logistics manager is currently over $88,000 while manufacturing and production management makes a little over $85,000. However, according to Indeed.com the average salary of the industrial worker in 2013 is $17 per hour with many making significantly less at $9 or $10. Current figures show that there is no state in the country where an employee making minimum wage can afford rent. Lower wages in these lower skill jobs can lead to absenteeism and safety issues in industrial settings. Turnover is also a significant issue with these positions.
  • Education. Many manufacturing facilities are experiencing a skills gap when it comes to the changing industry and the lack of training for displaced industrial workers. Depending on the level of skill needed, many employees simply lack the access to continuing education to learn these new technologies. A good investment for a manufacturing facility is to work with local technical colleges to providing training to unskilled labor to move them into positions where they can earn more and perform better. This can boost your pool of industrial talent and help in the community.
  • Age. Within manufacturing it appears that older managers are currently earning more than their younger counterparts in these environments. The average salary for managers over 60 years of age is nearly $110,000. Many managers from this generation have a strong work ethic and will remain loyal to their employer. However, there is some risk with an aging workforce. As experienced manufacturing managers retire or are unable to continue working the skills gap may prevent some younger employees from being able to take their place seamlessly.

Do you want to partner with a company who understands the current state of manufacturing in our country? Contact Luttrell Staffing Group today to see what we can do for you!