For years, manufacturing has struggled to fill open roles. But now, the newest entrants to the workforce might be exactly what the industry needs.
Gen Z (those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s) has arrived on the job market with a unique mix of career anxiety and blue-collar curiosity. They’re the first generation to grow up fully online, yet they’re skeptical of white-collar work, disillusioned by the 9-to-5, and acutely aware that AI is threatening many entry-level jobs. And they’re responding by exploring something unexpected: the skilled trades.
This is big news for manufacturing.
AI might be advancing fast, but robotics still can’t replicate the kind of hands-on, detail-oriented work that skilled human tradespeople deliver. The Toolbelt Generation sees this, and they’re taking up the challenge. For manufacturers, this represents a massive opportunity, but only if your hiring process is ready.