News Anchor: Made in America is making a comeback. A post pandemic manufacturing boom has increased profits and created scores of new jobs. I would say it’s probably more than scores of new jobs. Many more scores of new jobs, but more workers are still needed. CNN Chief Business Correspondent Christine Romans is here.

I assume it’s more than like multiples of 20, right? Because that would be scores.

Christine Romans: It’s, it’s a lot. It’s thousands actually. John, these days it’s less Rosie the Riveter and more Rosie the Robotics Technician. These are highly skilled, highly paid factory jobs in big demand.

Neil Ashbaugh: They gave me an official offer today.

Christine Romans: One open position filled.

Neil Ashbaugh: This is our open requisition job book.

Christine Romans: Countless more still open.

Neil Ashbaugh: The number of jobs is just, it’s just incredible.

Christine Romans: At this training facility in Pittsburgh, job seekers are learning new skills to seize on a post pandemic spike in manufacturing.

Neil Ashbaugh: What’s really heightened the issue of the, of the big need and the big demand for these types of individuals is with the coupling of COVID.

And the individuals that we’re already looking to retire in the next three to four years.

Christine Romans: Neil Ashbaugh is president and CEO of New Century Careers. Come back. It’s a non profit for adults looking to enter the industry in the most competitive environment in years.

Neil Ashbaugh: We have individuals that are completing these skilled training programs and yet are going out on five, six, seven interviews.

And those companies are all competing for that single source, uh, skilled individual. Learn

Christine Romans: Since 2020, U. S. manufacturing has increased its profits by more than 200 billion, offering hundreds of thousands of jobs each month. So what’s behind the latest boost? At the Jenison Corporation, workers are busy making everything from firefighters equipment to construction machinery.

Hayden Jenison says recent supply chain issues overseas mean more new customers.

Worker: It was taking months for parts to not only get manufactured but come across and they decided that they were willing to pay U. S. manufacturing pricing to be able to get that much faster.

Christine Romans: Pricing and product demands have changed drastically in recent years.

When service industries became scarce over the pandemic, demand for consumer products and, of course, P. P. E. And medical equipment kept factory workers essential

Eric Esota: among the average consumer. We did see that. Hey, there’s a real value for American made products.

Christine Romans: Industry expert Erica Soda says new technologies.

They’re also paving the way forward.

Eric Esota: We often take a look at the images of manufacturing and we see the sparks flying in a welding environment or perhaps a little bit. dingy, dark, but by and large, our manufacturing jobs today are high tech.

Christine Romans: But today’s techs are also requiring higher salaries and more flexibility.

Worker: We’ve had to significantly raise our wages to stay competitive in the industry.

Christine Romans: Jennison says there’s enough work to staff another full shift at this facility, but even at 20 to 30 an hour, Finding the right team has been difficult.

Worker: Hiring has been a problem since 2020. Hiring experienced candidates that understand the industry and understand what they’re doing has been very difficult.

Christine Romans: Newly trained candidates like Ishmael are glad to be coming in now. Laid off during the pandemic, he’s now in high demand.

Worker: After that happened, it was a little rough and tumble, but I landed here and I’m actually pretty happy with how things turned out.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/10/07/manufacturing-jobs-made-in-america-romans-newday-vpx.cnn