Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘The Future of Sales'
Driving Innovation: Traceability in PCB Production
It’s Only Common Sense: Price—Is That All You’ve Got?
Survey Results: ‘Are You Currently Hiring?’
November 4, 2020 | Michelle Te, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Yes, you are hiring! Early results from I-Connect007’s reader survey on staffing and training indicate there are jobs available across the PCB industry and on multiple continents. Our research team asked, “Are you currently hiring?” and more than 60% of respondents affirmed that is the situation for them.
This news was as we had expected, especially after viewing headlines from manufacturers in other industries. Here are just a few of the headlines we’ve seen:
- “U.S. auto suppliers scramble to fill factory jobs”
- “iPhone 12: Inside China’s ‘iPhone City,’ it’s full steam ahead to produce Apple’s new 5G handset”
- “Lake City-based AirBorn electronics manufacturer to host Saturday drive-through job fair”
- “Valmet Automotive to urgently recruit 400 workers”
- “150 new jobs to North Carolina as RF specialist expands facility”
But these job openings come with a word of caution. In its most recent economic outlook, IPC reported that the United States recorded 660,000 new jobs with upward revisions to prior months of another 145,000.
“In a normal year, a monthly gain of 661,000 would be phenomenal. In fact, it’s the fourth-best monthly gain in history, only outpaced by the prior three months. But those 661,000 new jobs come in the shadow of losing 22.2 million jobs. And they come following several months of faster recovery. The U.S. labor market has added back about half of the jobs lost in March and April. Moreover, labor force participation declined in September as some job seekers abandoned their searches. And as the pandemic has pushed schools virtually, some caretakers have likely been forced to put off work for now while they care for young children.”
IPC reported that the electronics industry seems to be holding up better than just about anyone else. The output is above pre-pandemic levels, but with less early demand for medical equipment, the electronics industry will be more dependent on the auto and aerospace industries to maintain high output.
These generalizations may or may have a direct on your business, wherever it may be located. Those who told us they’re hiring have openings in all sectors of the manufacturing process—except management. Those who aren’t hiring said they simply have all their positions filled.
I-Connect007 will be closely examining the issue of staffing and training in the December issues of SMT007 Magazine and PCB007 Magazine. We wanted to know what manufacturers and suppliers are up against and how best to provide information that will help you further your business goals heading into 2021.
Stay tuned for more details from this enlightening survey. I-Connect007 is the most extensive global source for news and original content serving the PCB design, fabrication, and assembly/EMS markets.
Help us expand our knowledge of staffing and training by taking the survey.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Living His Dream: IPC EAO Course Leads Thejas K to Role as Quality Engineer
05/30/2025 | Michelle Te, IPC CommunityIt’s not often that a child wants to follow in the footsteps of their parents’ career. But Thejas K, a 22-year-old from Mysuru, India, whose mother Padmavathi was an EMS operator for nearly 20 years, is now an associate engineer in the quality department at Cyient DLM where PCB assemblies are manufactured for aerospace and defense.
GTSMT SMT Production Lines are Transforming Modern Electronics Manufacturing
05/29/2025 | EINPresswire.comGTSMT, a prominent leader in the Surface-Mount Technology (SMT) sector, announced the introduction of cutting-edge innovations designed to tackle the evolving challenges facing the global electronics manufacturing industry.
IPC Applauds Leadership of Reps. Moore and Krishnamoorthi on PCB Manufacturing Bill
05/28/2025 | IPCIPC, the global electronics association serving more than 1,400 U.S. companies and over 3,200 worldwide, strongly supports the bipartisan reintroduction on May 28 of the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates (PCBS) Act in the 119th Congress.
Smart Automation: AI—Revolutionizing Inspection in Electronics Manufacturing
05/27/2025 | Josh Casper -- Column: Smart AutomationArtificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a staple in our personal and professional lives. In electronics manufacturing, integrating AI to combat common inefficiencies and to contextualize data will open new doors into how we supplement our traditional processes. In some specific areas of the electronics manufacturing process, integration of AI on the factory floor is already having a tremendous effect. One such area is PCBA inspection, particularly 3D automated optical inspection (AOI) systems.
Indium Promotes O’Leary to Director of Global Accounts
05/27/2025 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation, a leading materials refiner, smelter, manufacturer, and supplier to electronics, semiconductor, thin-film, and thermal management industries, announces the promotion of Brian O’Leary to Director of Global Accounts.