Sandhills Community College WDCP Workforce Wednesday
Workforce Wednesday Spotlight:
Handshake + The Future of Manufacturing
Today’s Workforce Wednesday is led by Handshake!
Handshake is the largest and most active early talent network in the nation, and 91% of Fortune 500 companies use it to recruit! With over 900,000 employers registered, it's one of the most powerful platforms connecting students and recent grads with career opportunities.
Handshake is the largest and most active early talent network in the nation, and 91% of Fortune 500 companies use it to recruit! With over 900,000 employers registered, it's one of the most powerful platforms connecting students and recent grads with career opportunities.
That includes us, right here at Sandhills Community College.
The Manufacturing Industry offers big opportunities, and a generational rowing gap
As we celebrate Workforce Wednesday, we also want to highlight a rapidly changing sector: Manufacturing. According to a recent article by Fortune, nearly 3.8 million new manufacturing jobs are expected in the U.S. by 2033. But here's the twist: half may go unfilled.
Only 14% of Gen Z say they'd consider a career in industrial work.
Why? Many view factory jobs as inflexible, unsafe, or underpaid, despite skyrocketing demand.
Why? Many view factory jobs as inflexible, unsafe, or underpaid, despite skyrocketing demand.
Meanwhile, Gen Z is turning to other trades like plumbing, construction, and HVAC fields, offering:
- High earning potential
- Hands-on work
- Greater autonomy and flexibility
- No student loan debt
Yet America’s manufacturing sector still needs people, especially as baby boomers retire and policies impact labor supply. Vocational training is surging, and Community College trade program enrollment jumped 16% last year. The Manufacturing stigma is real, and we must find a way to answer Gen Z's demands. Young workers want flexibility, safety, and pay that matches demand.
Wage stagnation and limited upward mobility have made other trade fields more attractive; however, retirements are worsening the labor shortage in manufacturing.
If ever there was a time to bridge the gap between education, opportunity and industry, it’s now.
Read the full article:
Nearly 4 million new manufacturing jobs are coming to America—but Gen Z isn’t lining up to fill them
Nearly 4 million new manufacturing jobs are coming to America—but Gen Z isn’t lining up to fill them
Let’s continue helping students explore Handshake, connect with in-demand careers, and rethink what it means to build a strong, skilled future workforce.
Sandhills Community College
-
Stephanie Lang Director of Job Placement Services
- July 17, 2025
- (910) 246-2860
- Send Email
