As part of Manufacturing Week, a celebration of modern manufacturing, GE Reports’ Perspectives invited Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), to talk about the biggest issues facing U.S. manufacturers and what the public may not know about the vital sector.
When asked what people may not know about manufacturing jobs, Timmons discussed higher-than-expected salaries and the “rewarding” nature of careers in the sector.
“The other thing that I think would really surprise folks to know is that within the next 10 years we’re going to have about 3.5 million jobs in manufacturing that are available,” Timmons said.
Timmons also touched on the need for tax reform, infrastructure upgrades and strong U.S. trade engagement as tools that will help American manufactures compete globally and create jobs.
NAM, the largest manufacturing association in the nation, represents small and large manufacturers in every industry sector in all 50 states. The manufacturing sector employs more than 12 million people in the U.S. and contributes $2.17 trillion to the American economy annually, according to the organization.
(Top photo by SpaceX on Unsplash.)