BANNOCKBURN, IL – A new IPC study finds evidence of a labor shortage for electronics manufacturers. Other business issues are making the problem worse for some segments of the industry, IPC says.

The study found that 72% of manufacturers believe there is a labor shortage and two-thirds had difficulty recruiting production workers and engineers in the past two years.

The data showed PCB fabricators and EMS companies are disproportionately affected by the problem, due to resource constraints that put many at a disadvantage when competing with OEMs for talent.

It also found recruiting challenges are more severe in the Midwest and eastern region than in the south and west, and midsize companies reported the biggest impact.

Demand for talent in electronics manufacturing is growing faster than the supply, due in part to the aging of the workforce, says IPC. The supply is also affected by workers’ perceptions and choices, however, and young workers are targeting high-growth industries to start their careers.

The shrinkage of electronics manufacturing and loss of jobs in the region in recent decades has hurt the industry’s image, but this can be turned around, according to Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research.

“Exciting things are happening in the industry technologically that should interest young people, who are keen users of technology,” she says.

The study is based on data from 107 US and Canadian electronics manufacturers, plus secondary research.

 

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