IPC’s U.S. Skills Gap Study Reveals Qualifications in Short Supply
April 28, 2017 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
In response to mounting concern about the shortage of U.S. workers with skills needed by electronics manufacturers, IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries conducted a “fast-facts” study to learn more about the skills gap as it affects U.S. electronics assembly manufacturers. The results, published last week in Findings on the Skills Gap in U.S. Electronics Manufacturing, indicate that most companies are having a hard time recruiting qualified production workers, and an even harder time finding qualified engineers and other technical professionals.
Among production jobs, general assembler and hand solderer are the most difficult to fill. On the professional side, quality control, process and entry-level electrical engineers have been hardest to find. Insufficient experience is the most common reason that applicants do not qualify for most positions. For many engineering and other technical professional positions, however, the leading reason jobs went unfilled was that there were no applicants at all.
Respondents cited many essential skills that are in short supply, but the most commonly cited are soldering for production jobs, and engineers with industry experience, especially in process, test and quality control.
The purpose of the study is to reveal specifics about the skills gap that can help IPC and other organizations determine what actions they can take to help build the skill base of the U.S. labor force. A representative sample of 45 U.S. contract electronics manufacturers and OEMs contributed data.
For more information, click here.
Suggested Items
Electronics Industry Sentiment Rose in April, Hitting New High
05/02/2024 | IPCApril 2024 marked the third consecutive month of sentiment growth among electronics manufacturers. When asked if they expected labor costs for hourly workers to rise over the next month, manufacturers in the United States, Mexico, and Europe predicted a five percent increase, while manufacturers in Asia predicted a slightly lower four percent increase.
iNEMI Names Grace O'Malley CTO
05/02/2024 | iNEMIThe Board of Directors of the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) has named Grace O'Malley Chief Technical Officer (CTO).
ZESTRON Academy Launches 2024 Advanced Packaging & Power Electronics Webinar Series
05/01/2024 | ZESTRONZESTRON, the leading global provider of high-precision cleaning products, services, and training solutions in the electronics manufacturing and semiconductor industries, proudly announces the launch of its highly anticipated webinar series on Advanced Packaging & Power Electronics, a webinar series on the latest innovations, cleaning, and corrosion challenges.
NextFlex Convenes the Hybrid Electronics Community at Binghamton University
05/01/2024 | NextFlexBinghamton University hosted the NextFlex hybrid electronics community on April 18 for a day of expert presentations, breakout sessions on technology and manufacturing topics, and networking.
HQ NextPCB of HQ Electronics Debut on the International Stage for Electronics Manufacture at IPC APEX 2024
05/01/2024 | PRNewswireHQ NextPCB of HQ Electronics, a leading Chinese-based multilayer PCB manufacturer and assembly house showcased its industrial prowess on the international stage for the first time at the IPC APEX Expo 2024.