Manufacturing, once the backbone of the American economy, finds itself short on skilled workers. A 2022 study from Deloitte found that half of American producers face employee shortages, driven by an aging workforce and public unawareness of the industry’s technological advancements.

Recognizing the importance of attracting fresh talent, local companies like Lincoln Electric are tapping into younger populations largely unfamiliar with modern manufacturing.

For starters, the Cleveland-based welding products manufacturer is one of 50 industry and employer organizations in the Greater Cleveland Career Consortium, a collaboration of youth-centered groups and educational institutions.

Lincoln Electric employee Steward Howse assembles components to build a welding controller that will be used for automated welding applications.Lincoln Electric also procures talent from the Early College, Early Career (ECEC) program at Cleveland’s Manufacturing Growth Advocacy Network (MAGNET). Through this partnership, the company hires junior and senior students from 14 local high schools.

Additional sources of talent include Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a Cleveland workforce development group, and the nonprofit program provider After-School All-Stars.

Combined with its annual “manufacturing exposure tours,” which reach thousands of students, Lincoln Electric is bringing on 25 to 40 new young hires yearly, says senior manager of workforce development Geoff Lipnevicius.

East Cleveland resident Steward Howse sought a stable career after high school, taking a job at Walmart before joining Lincoln Electric to produce heavy-duty welding machines and wire feeders.

“My grandad said this position was open, and that this was an opportunity for me to make a good living,” recalls Howse, who is now in his third year with the manufacturing giant.

In his entry-level position, Howse uses his hands along with power tools, soldering irons, and other equipment. The job's rigorous demands, coupled with Howse's lack of industry experience, initially made him question whether he was the right fit for the role.

“I thought it would be too hard, and I didn’t want to come in willy nilly not knowing how [the work] goes down,” Howse says. “So I went through a temp agency to train and learn everything I could about the job.”

Skills to pay the bills

Enthusiasm is a skill often overlooked by a sector eager to attract qualified individuals. Although young workers may not have manufacturing experience, passion for learning is a priceless asset, notes MAGNET president and executive director Ethan Karp.

“Manufacturers will say just give me a person who wants to show up and work, and we will train them,” Karp says. “Having good employee skills means a desire to get better and own your mistakes.”

Demand for specialized skill sets in manufacturing is rising on pace with advanced technologies such as robotics and 3D printing. To address this gap, companies are investing in programs to equip workers with new knowledge while boosting their earning potential. Whereas technical abilities—such as computer use and blueprint reading—can be learned on the job, people skills are equally crucial for success, Karp argues.

“There’s a whole set of management leadership skills that few of us are taught, yet are very desirable,” he says. “Young people may not have those right away, but they may not be coming in with bad habits. You can mold them [to fit] with the company culture.”

MAGNET president and executive director Ethan KarpRetirements and an aging workforce are driving manufacturing’s talent shortage—by 2050, nearly one-third of the global workforce is expected to be age 50 or older. Producers can address this challenge through competitive compensation at the entry level, observers say.

Lincoln Electric assemblers earn a $22-per-hour wage along with a $20,000 profit-sharing bonus, says workforce manager Lipnevicius. The company also offers a 401k plan with a 3% match on employee contributions.

Furthermore, Lincoln Electric does not abandon hires to fend for themselves on the shop floor once they are hired, Lipnevicius adds.

“New workers don’t even go on the floor during the first few weeks,” he says. “They’re paired with an industry veteran who walks them through [the process] and trains them.”

With the encouragement and guidance of colleagues, young parts assembler Howse says he was able to conquer his initial anxieties.

“It was very helpful, because it’s just like a classroom where you’re not doing anything by yourself,” he observes. “If you need help, you ask for it.”

Companies must continue to give young professionals opportunities for training and growth, particularly as monotonous assembly lines are replaced by purposeful work and technological know-how, says Karp of MAGNET.

“We’ve seen that change in the last 10 years—we’re not making Model Ts, where there’s soot and lung cancer,” he says. “That stigma is still there, so that’s a huge thing we’re still trying to fix.”

Howse, who is pursuing a real estate career while continuing his work at Lincoln Electric, encourages newcomers to maintain a clear head and embrace the opportunities that arise.

“Everything comes with focus, like manufacturing or anything else,” he says. “So you have to learn and keep your mind right.”