From: Hadi Awada, president, Faurecia Clean Mobility North America, Detroit, Michigan
Over the next decade, it is estimated that nearly 3.5 million U.S. manufacturing jobs will be added; 2 million are expected to go unfilled due to inability to find talent with the required skills.
For Faurecia Clean Mobility, over 100 skilled jobs, ranging from welders to maintenance technicians to controls technicians, are unfilled in Columbus due to lack of qualified applicants. Coupled with 25.8 percent of skilled employees facing retirement at both the Gladstone and Columbus South plants within the next two years, we are facing a significant workforce shortage.
These numbers dramatically underscore the importance of Manufacturing Day in Columbus.
Manufacturing Day is held in local communities, 3,000 events across the country, designed to introduce as many people as possible to the significant role played by manufacturing – including right here in Columbus.
Faurecia is hosting a Manufacturing College & Career Expo on Oct. 22 (Building 2, 950 W. 450S, Columbus) to highlight the importance of manufacturing to the U.S. economy, and showcase the rewarding, highly skilled jobs available.
Faurecia will be participating with Cummins Inc., Dorel Juvenile Group, LHP Engineering Solutions, NTN Driveshaft Inc., and Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing, setting up interactive booths highlighting careers available in manufacturing, and what skills and education are needed to qualify for today’s manufacturing jobs.
Planned activities include facility tours, robotics races, giveaways, free food, interactive manufacturing and education booths, 3D printing demonstrations, meet college representatives, schools, and more.
Our event (for students in grades 7-9, parents and educators) and many others are not just informational. It is a way for Faurecia to share our passion for what we do, and explain why and how young people can embrace the profession with post-secondary training that often lasts just a year or two and does not leave them with decades of college loan debt.
These events will demonstrate how manufacturing contributes to the vitality of our community, and show modern manufacturing for what it is – a sleek, technology-driven industry that offers secure, good-paying jobs.
We look forward to seeing you.
