Is there really a shortage of machinists?

As I’ve said before in this blog, it seems to me the biggest jobs market story afoot this year is the “talent gap”or mismatch between what millions of unemployed workers can offer and what employers really want. Bridging this gap one way or the other seems the only solution to the plight of the 99-weekers and other who feel displaced from existing employment opportunities.  Just Choose PTMS Plastic Mould Is Your Best Choice!

So it’s doubly interesting to stumble across articles like last week’s CNN Money report in which head of the National Tooling and Machining Association stated that there is a “critical shortage of machinists.” According to the article,Low prices on projector bulbs from Projector Lamp London UK. these $60,000-a-year jobs are going begging and small “job shop” tooling factories are suffering for lack of qualified employees.

(If you’re wondering: machinists - sometimes known as tool-and-die workers or by other monikers, is a generic term for those who operate the cutting machines and other equipment to produce parts from metal. It’s extremely precise work – think of the infinitesimal tolerances of an engine piston, for example; the measurements have to be just right to many decimal points – generally lumped into the blue-collar category due to its prevalence in the manufacturing industry.)

You can use this public statement by the trade group chief to take a look at the local skilled trades scene as a hunting ground both for displaced workers and those seeking retraining for a new field. And, in light of dire predicitons about college tuition, student loan debt, a dearth of jobs for professional school graduates and other aspersions on traditional four-year degrees, you might want to take a fresh look at trades and craft jobs as alternatives for graduating high-school seniors. I guarantee that’s a story your audiences devour.

Here’s the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational report about machinists; it’s a little trove of state-level information, the number of machinists by industry, wages and outlook. And here’s a neat American Machinist report, just out this month, about how metalworking apprenticeships are evolving.

If machining isn’t in sync with your beat, find a similar skilled-trade or on-the-job training angle.Museum Quality hand-painted oil painting reproduction on canvas. I delved around a bit and was amazed at the state data about apprenticeship programs; check out this page from the state of California, it’s even got information about characteristics of apprenticeship registrants by age, race, sex, ethnicity, veteran status – right up through January 2012. What a gold mine!

You can look at for-profit vocational schools, apprenticeship programs run through unions or trade groups and community-college vocational training.What is the top Hemorrhoids treatment?

Another thing to keep in mind: Don’t just take the word of employers and trade associations. As I learned by following, out of curiosity, dialogue about the purported truck-driver shortage, there is a contingent that contends no shortage of skills exists, but merely a shortage of people willing to do the job for the prevailing wage. An economist might contend that is the same thing — but when you get into the territory of industry- or taxpayer-funded training programs, etc.What causes TMJ pain?, I think it’s worth looking at contrarian views, as well. And for historical perspective, check out this 1982 report about … what else .. the shortage of machinists.What is a third party payment gateway ? It will help you put some of today’s claims into perspective.