Millennials skeptical about manufacturing careers

Some results from Leading2Lean's Manufacturing Index survey.

This past December, I took part in a three-day workshop conducted by the American Management Association on behalf of my employer, the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International® (FMA). The entire organization took part in the program, entitled “Building Better Work Relationships: New Techniques for Results-Oriented Communication.”

Because I have a lifelong interest in interpersonal communications, most of the workshop was a refresher of what I’ve learned in previous courses, by reading books on the topic, and through observation. We aren’t all the same. We may have the same basic hardware, but we have different operating systems that affect our lives in profound ways, especially in how we see the world and how we communicate.

Day three was the most interesting day for me. The presenter, Dr. Lisa Kaplin, listed generations, beginning with the WWII (Greatest) Generation and ending with Generation Z. She then noted the predominate characteristics of these generations in terms of what’s important to them in career and life goals. As a Baby Boomer, I was primarily interested in and enlightened by the description of millennials and Generation Z. My generation’s lives were structured around achieving and having a long-time career, a house, a family, and financial stability. We worked hard to attain these markers of a successful life. The millennials and Gen Z are focused more on experiences than things. They seek optimum work-life balance and are less likely to remain with a single career or employer throughout their work lives.

Why was this aspect of the workshop so interesting to me? I want to better understand and relate to the younger members of my immediate and extended family, and I want to have the best possible working relationship with co-workers from different generations.

In my research for today’s industry news, I ran across a press release with the headline “Talkin’ Bout My Generation—Survey Reveals Manufacturing Industry Has Struggled to Keep Millennials Informed About Modern Advancements and Job Opportunities.” The release focused on a recent Manufacturing Index survey by Leading2Lean, a manufacturing software technology company, which found that generation significantly affected how Americans view manufacturing careers, the role of manufacturing in the U.S. economy, and the industry's growth.

Respondents were asked if they agreed or disagreed that manufacturing jobs are important to the U.S. economy. Older generations, particularly those born between 1946 and 1964 (Baby Boomers), and those born between 1965 and 1980 (Generation X), appeared better informed about the significance of these jobs to the U.S.

Eighty-six percent of boomers and Gen X respondents agreed that manufacturing jobs are important to the economy, while only 68 percent of millennials, those born between 1981 and 1998, agreed.

This difference in generational perspective also was reflected in a question about whether respondents agreed that manufacturing offers fulfilling careers. Only 49 percent of millennials agreed, while 59 percent of both boomers and Gen X agreed. This underscores that millennials are less convinced that manufacturing offers desirable career paths.

"We see from this data that we need to do better as an industry to show the younger generation how the industry has changed," said Leading2Lean CEO and President Keith Barr. "Manufacturing is more dynamic than ever before. Jobs in the industry involve complex problem solving and interesting technology. They're not mind-numbing jobs that take place at dilapidated factories. And they offer competitive pay, benefits and opportunities for advancement."

Millennials may not be aware that manufacturing jobs pay on average nearly three times the federal minimum wage for production and nonsupervisory employees, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Some beg to differ.) For managerial roles, manufacturing offers pay competitive with tech sector jobs, according to 2018 data from Glassdoor.

If millennials feel this way, what about Generation Z? What does their belief system mean for the future of U.S. manufacturing? What can manufacturers do to try and change these generations’ perception? Here’s a good read that might give you some ideas.

By the way, I was young when the Who’s “Talkin’ Bout My Generation” was released. The struggle exists for all generations.