The workforce shortage in manufacturing is no secret — there have been countless articles discussing the issue, multiple programs introduced to attract new workers to the industry, and several initiatives aimed at making manufacturing jobs more appealing. But all this effort is necessary, given the United States could see 3.8 million open manufacturing roles by 2033, as estimated by a 2024 Deloitte report.
Among all this discussion on the workforce issue, several solutions have been offered and implemented. One of which is taking advantage of a particular unused labor force well-suited to manufacturing: military veterans.
More than just a subset of active jobseekers, military veterans also have a lot of skills that other manufacturing recruits lack. They often have experience with complex equipment, are good at following set operating procedures, and have a track record of learning new skill sets. Their transferable skills are what makes military veterans really stand-out as job prospects for the manufacturing sector.
Despite these benefits, civilian hiring managers often have trouble understanding military roles and responsibilities, and veterans aren't always able to articulate how their skillset matches an open job position. This issue can partially be overcome by having veterans working in recruiting, human resources, and leadership roles at manufacturing companies. Additionally, there are organizations that help veterans find jobs in the civilian sector, such as Hiring Our Heroes, Hire Heroes USA, Workshops for Warriors, and SkillBridge.
With the existence of these programs and their work-ready skillset, a focus on hiring military veterans to fill the worker shortage may soon prove to be a competitive advantage for manufacturers.