A recent Forbes article, “When 400,000 Manufacturing Jobs Go Unfilled, It’s Time to Rethink the Blueprint,” hit on a painful truth for American manufacturing: the jobs are there, but the people currently aren’t. With nearly half a million open roles across U.S. factories, the conversation often centers on baby boomer retirements, immigration policies, or dwindling training programs. These all play a role in the issue, but they don’t tell the full story.
The real issue isn’t just about having too few workers. It’s about how the industry thinks about the workers it already has—and the people it hopes to attract.
Manufacturing doesn’t need a new workforce overnight. It needs a new identity.
Outdated Perceptions Are Holding the Industry Back
For decades, manufacturing has been trapped in a story that doesn’t fit anymore. Say the word “factory,” and many people still picture manual labor in dusty plants, not the high-tech, precision-driven environments that define the field today.
This outdated perception is one reason the sector struggles to recruit the next generation of skilled workers. The reality is that modern manufacturing is powered by robotics, automation, and data analytics. It’s where human insight and technical expertise meet. Yet public perception hasn’t caught up. The result is a talent pipeline that’s running dry.
To fill today’s roles, the industry needs to market itself as the modern, technology-forward engine of innovation that it truly is.
Employer Brand Is the New Competitive Edge
Think of your employer brand as your shop window for talent. It’s how you show potential candidates what your organization stands for, how it operates, and what it values. For manufacturing companies, that means showcasing the innovation happening behind the scenes: automated lines, advanced robotics, sustainable materials, and data-driven production.
When candidates see your tech stack and modern processes, they start to view your organization not as “old-school manufacturing,” but as a forward-thinking career destination.
Put Your Best Foot Forward With a Modern Candidate Experience
For most applicants, the hiring process is their first real interaction with your employer brand. If that process feels outdated it sends a message that the company is stuck in the past. That’s especially true for Gen Z candidates, who expect intuitive, mobile-first, and transparent experiences that mirror their favorite consumer apps.
Employers can stand out by:
- Offering one-click apply options across multiple roles and locations
- Sending automated updates so candidates always know next steps
- Reducing repetitive questions by tailoring interviews to each role
- Using videos and situational judgment tests to preview real job scenarios
Your hiring process should feel like a reflection of the environment you’re inviting candidates into—modern, efficient, and human-centered.
Learn more about the importance of a captivating candidate experience.
Lean into Skills-Based Hiring
Even with a better employer brand, manufacturing still needs to change what they hire for to match a technology-forward workplace.
The pervasiveness of computer-controlled machinery means today’s manufacturing worker needs a blend of technical, cognitive, and interpersonal skills. Critical thinking, attention to detail, and dependability matter just as much as traditional experience—if not more.
Instead of filtering candidates by resume or education level, skills-based hiring assesses what really matters: a person’s ability to learn, adapt, and perform.
Tools like behavioral and cognitive assessments help identify long-term potential and cultural fit. Situational judgment tests (SJTs) let candidates demonstrate how they’d respond to real-world scenarios on the factory floor. And Realistic Job Previews (RJPs) give applicants a chance to self-select out early if the role isn’t right for them—saving time and improving fit for everyone involved.
Discover the top 5 skills today’s manufacturers should be hiring for.
The Path Forward: Build the New Blueprint
Manufacturing is not a relic of the past. It’s a living, evolving industry that powers everything from infrastructure to innovation. But to close the skills gap for good, companies must evolve how they hire and how they’re perceived.
That means treating frontline expertise as the cognitive, skilled work it is—and telling that story proudly. It means investing in modern candidate experiences that reflect your company’s innovation. And it means using skills-based hiring to find talent that’s ready to grow with your organization.
Manufacturing has always been about building things. Now, it’s time to rebuild its own narrative and hire for what’s next.
Find out why other top manufacturers partner with Harver to hire smarter.
