More than 280,000 advanced manufacturing workers employed in the state
FRANKFORT, Ky. – The advanced manufacturing
workforce in Kentucky reached a seven-year high with more than 280,000
workers employed, according to a new report from LIFT – Lightweight
Innovations For Tomorrow.
Since the depths of the Great Recession in 2009, lightweighting-related job
postings in Kentucky increased by more than 21 percent, or 48,877 jobs
recovered, according to the report, further underscoring the importance of this
industry to the strength and prosperity of the state.
The quarterly reports, highlighting the employment trends, top jobs, and required
skills in advanced manufacturing through Q2 2016, are completed with research
and analysis from WIN (Workforce Intelligence Network), and cover each of the
states in the five-state LIFT region of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and
Tennessee.
“We see great opportunity for manufacturing in the region as employers continue
to seek talented and skilled workers,” said Emily Stover DeRocco, education and
workforce development director for LIFT. “Bringing mind to market can only be
realized if we invest in and develop the educated and skilled workforce
necessary to deploy the in-demand lightweighting technologies of today and
moving forward.”
Employers in the five-state lightweighting region posted more than 84,000 job
ads for advanced manufacturing occupations during Q2 2016. Although posting
levels are slightly down over Q1 2016, demand is here to stay as annual trends
continue to rise, overall, year after year. The skilled trades dominated both
employment and employer demand for advanced manufacturing workers
throughout the LIFT region.
“Manufacturing in Kentucky is growing, with online job postings for occupations
related to lightweighting increasing for a second consecutive quarter during Q2
2016, with more than 7,800 jobs posted,” said Greg Higdon, president and CEO,
Kentucky Association of Manufacturers. “As employers continue to seek qualified
talent, it is essential that we continue to develop the workforce necessary to help
drive employment growth and opportunity.”
The top in-demand lightweighting-related occupations in Kentucky in Q2 2016
were: Maintenance and Repair Workers (1,285 postings), Laborers and Freight,
Stock and Material Movers (1,263 postings), Production Workers (551 postings),
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers (327 postings) and
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers and Weighers (309 postings).
The full Kentucky report can be viewed at: http://lift.technology/educationworkforce-development/.
ABOUT LIFT
LIFT is a Detroit-based, public-private partnership committed to the development and deployment of advanced lightweight metal manufacturing technologies, and implementing education and training initiatives to better prepare the workforce today and in the future. LIFT is one of the founding institutes in the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), and is funded in part by the Department of Defense with management through the Office of Naval Research. Visit www.lift.technology to learn more.
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