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American manufacturers looking for workers to fill blue-collar jobs

Many blue-collar jobs still are short of skilled workers for American manufacturing, according to a recent story in U.S. News & World Report.

According to a study by Delotte Consulting for the Manufacturing Institute of the National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. companies expect an 80 percent shortage of skilled production workers over the next three years.

Among manufacturing positions that already are seeing shortages are:

• Supply chain logistic managers, who figure out how to transport materials on time.

• Industrial production managers, who create manufacturing processes and design factory floors

• Computer-controlled machine tool operators and programmers, who run machines that make precision metal and plastic products.

• Machinists – workers who know how to use lathes and milling machines to make precision metal parts

• Purchasing managers, who help find the world’s cheapest producers of materials and components to supply their companies’ manufacturing needs.

• Environmental engineers, who help companies control water and air pollution

• Commercial and industrial designers, who design the wide array of products made by America companies.

• Tool and die makers, among the most highly skilled manufacturing workers, who produce the industrial gear used in manufacturing machines.

• Drafters, who make technical drawings used to build items

• Electronics engineering technicians, who help design, test and manufacture equipment such as communication gear, radar, medical monitoring devices and computers.