While Pennsylvania struggles with a persistently high unemployment rate, it would be natural for one to believe the conventional wisdom that the manufacturing sector will not be leading the way out of our economic doldrums.
One would be wrong, however. Very, very wrong.
Latrobe-based Kennametal, Inc. recently commissioned a poll to gauge the public’s perception of manufacturing, and the results could not have been more startling when it comes to the disconnect between the perception and the reality.
A mere 9 percent of the 1,000 Americans polled believe the manufacturing sector has been a "bright spot" in the economy during the past three years, and only 11 percent believe the sector is growing. In reality, however, manufacturing growth continues to outpace GDP, and there are an estimated 600,000 manufacturing jobs nationwide that have gone unfilled despite our chronic unemployment challenges. Add to that an estimated 2.7 million manufacturing workers who will retire in the next 10 years, and it doesn’t take an advanced engineering degree to see the potential.
Kennametal CEO Carlos Cardoso, who was recently tapped by Governor Tom Corbett to chair the Governor’s Manufacturing Advisory Council has been on a mission to change the public perception of manufacturing, appearing recently at the National Press Club to make the case. Under his tutelage, Kennametal has done innovative things like partnering with local high schools to encourage more students to study engineering.
So while Pennsylvania elected officials look to the Marcellus Shale formation as the Commonwealth’s employment salvation, there are at least some out there who are working hard to make sure that manufacturing is not left at the altar.
And given the State Senate’s recent push to re-energize Corbett’s Liberty Loan Fund proposal, maybe the perception of the state’s manufacturing sector is about to change to finally match up with reality.
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