It’s no secret: manufacturing has a serious skills gap. There aren’t enough skilled workers to fill the many open positions in manufacturing today, leading to a large number of unfilled skilled manufacturing positions.

Part of the solution to the skills gap is education–the more students who get involved in science, technology, engineering, and math in school, the better. But an increase in STEM education alone probably won’t be enough to completely close the skills gap on its own. So what else needs to happen?

There are a lot of proposed solutions to closing the skills gap, and . As Manufacturing Business Technology notes, “the current veterans have done extraordinary work to prove themselves, both in technical aptitude and work ethic,” and that sits well with manufacturers who need skilled workers.

The article goes on to mention that “manufacturing needs more skilled and dedicated employees, and there will soon be an influx of veterans who have the qualities necessary to be successful”–so veterans are clearly going to be an important part of the conversation moving forward. Manufacturing needs skilled labor, and the growing veteran population here in the United States may very well be a large part of that equation.

Are veterans the answer to solving the skills gap? Well, no–not on their own. But together with other movements to help educate people in STEM and close the skills gap, veterans can play a strong part in strengthening the manufacturing industry here in the United States.

And regardless of where they fit into the picture of closing the skills gap, we think it’s great to see so many veterans being gainfully employed in manufacturing jobs back home. Manufacturing really is a welcoming community, and we’re very glad to see manufacturers all around the country helping out those who served.

—

Photo Credit: via