Research: Which states are struggling to fill vacant manufacturing jobs? 

April 4, 2024
According to the company, Wyoming topped the list with an 89.47% deficit between jobs on the market and worker demand.

ECI Software Solutions has released the results of new research showing which states are struggling the most to fill vacant roles. To reach its conclusions, the manufacturing software provider drew inspiration from a study conducted by the Manufacturing Institute, which hypothesized that by 2030, manufacturers will need to fill an extra four million jobs. For its study, ECI Software Solutions cross referenced the number of vacancies for manufacturing-related roles within each U.S. state (using data from LinkedIn) with internet searches for manufacturing-related jobs in each state (using data from Google Keyword Planner). Called the ‘manufacturing jobs deficit index,’ this new research shows the states where manufacturing workers are most in demand - and which locations are oversubscribed. According to the company, Wyoming topped the list with an 89.47% deficit between jobs on the market and worker demand. New Jersey came in second with an 85.93% deficit. On the opposite end, Louisiana’s demand for jobs was 51.57% higher than the opportunities on the market and Texas’ was 8.67% greater. 

In a recent quote, Matt Heerey, President of ECI Software Solutions' Manufacturing Division, said, “Post-pandemic, the demand for manufacturing workers has increased at such a rate that the labor crisis may be getting worse, with our latest research showing the challenges US businesses face in meeting the demand for skilled workers. The extent of the issue varies across the nation, with Wyoming and New Jersey bearing the brunt of the labor shortage, while states like Louisiana and Texas are bucking the trend with a surplus of interest in jobs.” 

View the full manufacturing jobs deficit index  

About the Author

Alexis Gajewski | Senior Content Strategist

Alexis Gajewski has over 15 years of experience in the maintenance, reliability, operations, and manufacturing space. She joined Plant Services in 2008 and works to bring readers the news, insight, and information they need to make the right decisions for their plants. Alexis also authors “The Lighter Side of Manufacturing,” a blog that highlights the fun and innovative advances in the industrial sector. 

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