Manufacturers and businesses struggle to find skilled workers
One way the state is addressing the issue is through the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative, a new group dedicated to expanding manufacturing in Massachusetts. Edward Leyden, president and CEO of Ben Franklin Design and Manufacturing in Agawam and a co-chair of the collaborative, said the skills gap is the biggest issue facing manufacturing. Leyden said there is still a perception that manufacturing is a “dirty, dying, smokestack trade,” when in reality it is a computer-oriented business requiring math and science skills. Additionally, he said the average age for a manufacturing worker is 53 – nearing retirement age. “Most of the shops are ...
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