[Study] Workers are more likely to pursue a career in manufacturing if they are exposed to the trades
By Jimmy Lovrien for the Duluth News Tribune
Young workers in Minnesota are more likely to consider a job in manufacturing if they were exposed to the trades in school or by family, but 57 percent of the state's workers never learned about manufacturing careers before turning 18, according to a study released Monday.
West Monroe Partners, a Chicago-based business consultant company, asked 1,000 Minnesota workers aged 18-40 about the manufacturing industry. The study found 44 percent of respondents would not consider a manufacturing career, but that figure falls to 38 percent and 35 percent if the respondent had family employed in manufacturing or if the respondent grew up learning about manufacturing, respectively.
The study concluded "early education and awareness of manufacturing careers drives interest."
Jim Petruga, president of the Arrowhead Manufacturers and Fabricators Association, said he found the results of the study positive overall, but he highlighted the need to increase outreach efforts to students.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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