Reshoring America’s Future Depends on Rethinking America’s Workforce

As the saying goes, "The only constant is change."

New technologies, the reshoring/onshoring of U.S. labor and America's increasing commitment to innovation in established industries and emerging markets have vastly changed the nation's manufacturing sector in recent years. Companies and their employees are making more advanced and complicated products faster and more efficiently.

Artificial intelligence, cloud-based software, Internet of Things (IoT), automation in manufacturing, data analytics and online communications tools. The list continues to grow and evolve.

And the passage of two major industry policies - the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act (CHIPS) - has incentivized companies to invest in their homegrown workforces to manufacture products in the United States. The goal is to reduce deficits and increase the resilience and self-reliance of the nation's economy.

The workforce landscape

The need to invest in U.S. workers and to develop new ways of getting things done is vital to the long-term success of manufacturers. Finding, retaining and advancing employees who embrace and can thrive in today's advanced manufacturing sector is a critical challenge facing nearly every business. Companies not only need to find qualified, capable employees, but they need to invest in their futures to help sustain a highly skilled workforce as a competitive advantage for their businesses.

When those companies are looking to locate or expand their operations, access to the right kind of talent is as important as other factors such as sites, infrastructure and incentives. A robust pipeline of qualified workers - and the commitment to invest in their futures - can make or break a company's plans for growth

So, the need and the will to invest in a highly skilled and engaged workforce are clear. But what's the best way to build a system that nurtures and sustains a talent pipeline?

Growth strategies

Companies need to consider several factors and questions when determining how to meet their workforce needs and the growth of their businesses:

• Audit and assess - Business leaders should look closely at their workforce now and decide what's working well and what they can improve. Apply winning strategies to plans for growth and be open to doing new things to account for expansion or relocation.
• Do your homework - Be sure you honestly assess the workforce in the area where you're considering growing your operations. Is skilled talent available and abundant? Is it relevant to your needs?
• Attract, retain, develop - Be sure to have an all-encompassing approach to talent management that includes recruitment marketing, retaining valuable workers, and empowering and growing your workforce.
• Opportunities for advancement - What kind of certificate, education or other professional development opportunities are available to workers? Individual companies often have unique needs regarding their employees' knowledge and skills. A location with a tight network of colleges, universities, trade schools, technical centers and other career advancement providers (and the ability to tap into that network) can often prove extremely valuable.
• An idea incubator - Innovation is all about finding new ways of doing things and thinking differently about traditional products and processes. Ensure your employees can access an innovation ecosystem that inspires ideas, creativity and growth.

The competitive advantage

These considerations require a partner that can help growing, forward-looking companies navigate a complex workforce landscape. Economic development organizations exist not only to provide incentives and logistical support but also to serve as responsive, creative and transparent guides, especially when it comes to talent challenges and solutions.

In JobsOhio, companies can expect a partner that goes beyond the traditional talent services. JobsOhio employs a consultative approach that begins at the outset of a project and often extends months beyond the close of a deal to ensure long-term success. JobsOhio is invested in the success of the companies it supports. Our entire talent team becomes an extension of their human resources team to help foster healthy growth and a vision for the future.

Teams of experts, along with their vast experience in private industry and insight into workforce needs, create customized solutions for companies' talent challenges. This tailored approach also includes connecting companies with a vast network of dozens of workforce and education partners across the state to identify, attract, retain and develop highly qualified candidates who can help advance strategic goals.