labor shortage Archives - WSI

Is West Michigan Running Out of Qualified Workers? The New Data Says Yes.

Top-down view of an industrial conveyor belt carrying ten manila job folders, four stamped “QUALIFIED” in red, with a red ink pad and wooden stamp beside the belt.

West Michigan now produces four credentialed graduates per ten openings. Here is what the data means for manufacturers.

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AI workforce impact automation exposure contingent workforce credential pipeline durable skills flexible staffing Grand Rapids workforce Kalamazoo staffing labor shortage manufacturing retirements manufacturing staffing Michigan Manufacturing plant manager strategy postsecondary enrollment decline skills gap TalentFirst report upskilling West Michigan talent gap workforce development wsi

What 60% of Gen Z’s Career Plans Mean for the Future of Manufacturing

Gen Z is turning toward skilled trades for stability, pay, and AI-proof careers—manufacturers must modernize recruiting to win them.

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AI and employment apprenticeship programs blue collar jobs Career Pathways economic stability Gen Z workforce HR strategy Industrial Growth industrial hiring labor shortage Manufacturing Careers manufacturing leadership manufacturing trends national manufacturing recruitment strategy skilled trades Talent Acquisition talent retention workforce development workforce pipeline