U.S. Manufacturing Workforce

In this episode of the US Manufacturing Workforce podcast, host Michele Vincent delves into the pressing issue of America's worker shortage. She explores the concept of sourcing talent nationwide, offering a solution to the labor crisis. Drawing on her extensive experience, Michele shares real examples of labor issues and discusses the significant benefits of expanding the labor pool to the entire...

With alarming reports such as “nearly 1/3 of the manufacturing workforce is over 55 years old” how is U.S. manufacturing expected to continue? In this episode of the US Manufacturing Workforce Podcast, host Michele Vincent rings in 2024 giving us the facts when it comes to the past, present, and future of U.S. manufacturing. She discusses predictions on how past challenges will continue to play ou...

In this episode of the US Manufacturing Workforce Podcast, host Michele Vincent speaks with Dan Burgos , President and CEO of Alphanova Consulting. Dan discusses the vital role company culture plays in manufacturing and achieving overall success. He talks us through the connections of a positive company culture with attracting new employees, retaining employees, and high-performing employees. Dan...

Get ready to reshape your perspective on manufacturing – we're unveiling the strategies, tools, and success stories behind bringing it back to the USA. In this episode of the US Manufacturing Workforce Podcast, host Michele Vincent interviews Harry Moser , the founder of the Reshoring Initiative . Harry explains the Reshoring Initiative's role in documenting, promoting, and enabling reshoring effo...

As the unprecedented UAW stand-up strike against GM, Ford, and Stellantis continues to disrupt the automotive industry, the burning question everyone wants to know is -- how long will the strike last? In this episode, we speak with Marc Robinson , Ph. D., principal of MSR Strategy , an economist and strategist with more than 30 years of experience leading strategy projects for General Motors. Usin...

It's day four of the UAW strike against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. This unprecedented Stand-Up strike, targeting all three companies at once, is already creating a ripple effect across the automakers causing temporary layoffs at other plants. As the strike drags on, suppliers will begin to feel the impact as well. Beyond the Tier 1, there are thousands of smaller Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppli...

Ford, General Motors and Stellantis are currently in contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers, their collective bargaining agreements covering around 150,000 union members all set to expire on September 14. These negotiations put a lot at stake, signaling a potential strike that could disrupt the entire supply chain, influence vehicle availability, brand loyalty, and service parts supply...

I n a defining moment for the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, our host, Michele Vincent, delves into the history, present and future of the 150,000 union members, as well as what to expect with the September 14th deadline approaching. Following the 40-day UAW strike in 2019, there has been prevalent turmoil and leadership change within UAW. Under the guidance of a new international president, the...

How can automotive manufacturers navigate the various industry standards to strengthen their supply chain management and create unparalleled performance in the sector? Today we are joined by the hosts of The Auto Supply Chain Prophets podcast, Terry Onica , Director of Automotive at QAD , and Cathy Fisher , Founder and President of Quistem , With over 70 years of combined experience in the automot...

Corporate social responsibility extends far beyond the doors of a factory and beyond their current payroll ledger. Manufacturers and employees alike are faced with a lack of affordable, quality childcare, forcing many to leave the workforce. Through collaboration with childcare professionals, while addressing the unique needs of the workforce and community, companies can empower the parents of the...

The current labor market can be described in one word — weird . While competition has always been fierce for supply chain talent, it’s only growing in the demands and expectations placed on candidates. Additionally, in a volatile economy, organizations seem almost hesitant to hire. Likewise, candidates are hesitant to make any big career moves amid uncertainty. Today’s guest, Anthony Allen , VP of...

As cannabis legalization continues to gain momentum, manufacturers, distributors, and other industrial businesses face increasing challenges in ensuring workplace safety. In response, new real-time cannabis impairment testing technologies have emerged that enable employers to detect and deter cannabis use among employees in safety-sensitive jobs. In this episode we'll be diving into the current ch...

More than 150 large collective bargaining agreements are set to expire this year affecting more than 1.6 million workers. Along with hundreds of newly-unionized employers heading to the bargaining table amidst a labor shortage, it is likely that the nation will see more strikes in 2023 than it has in years, making it a critical business conversation to have. This week’s bonus episode is airing fro...

With labor shortages being such a hot topic, it may surprise you to learn that there is a pool of talent many organizations are leaving untapped. In this episode, we talk with Mark Behrends , COO of Pioneer Human Services , a non-profit social enterprise that partners with communities to reduce the impact of incarceration and empowers people to live safe, healthy, and productive lives. Mark overse...

In this episode, we discuss the ongoing negotiations between the United Auto Workers and Caterpillar, the global leader in heavy machinery manufacturing. We discuss their strike authorization vote, strike contingency planning, the strike labor landscape, strike security, and more. On this episode, our host, Michele Vincent , Senior Director, Marketing and Sales at MADICORP, share additional insigh...

Supply chain issues have upended the global manufacturing market and caused delays in delivering much needed products to a variety of industries. But what does it mean to bring your manufacturing “home?” There are specific distinctions between made, assembled, and designed in the US — not to mention the costs involved with each. How can you understand if this is right for your business? On this ep...

As an industry we have persevered through some historic moments in the past couple of years. And with a tight labor market, we are still going uphill. Despite a record level of new hires, job openings in the industry are still hovering near all time highs. The good news is change can be good and we are witnessing manufacturers pushing several approaches to strengthen their talent retention strateg...

Perhaps one of the biggest problems for employers during the ‘great resignation’ has been turnover. Our guest is Dick Finnegan - he helps companies cut turnover by 20% or more. He's helped Siberian banks, African gold mines, multinational corporations, and even the CIA. He is a sought after speaker, author and CEO of C-Suite Analytics and the Finnegan Institute . Join us as Michele and Dick discus...

This week we are sharing an episode of the Auto Supply Chain Prophets podcast that features our host Michele Vincent. Michele discusses everything the manufacturing industry has experienced in the past several years: from the staffing crisis to the current economic recession. She explains the benefits of experienced temp workers and how staffing in supply chain manufacturing has shifted throughout...

“Anonymity is killing people,” shares Jamie Green, speaking about living and working in recovery. What does it mean to have an official recovery-friendly workplace and to not only share openly what people are living through- but actually help them? While the opioid crisis raged around the country, Hypertherm in New Hampshire was figuring out ways to respond to the needs of its immediate workforce....

Workplace violence is not a new threat, but one that has been on the rise and consistently dominates our national headlines. We tend to hear and read about the bigger, more dramatic and horrifying events. But the reality is the frequency of workplace violence is taking place on a daily basis across the country. Aggression, frustration and the general decline of mental health since the start of the...

The signs that there is a recession ahead are everywhere- but how do we sift through the fear to look at the issue more clearly? In this episode our host, Michele Vincent, shares some recent research and insights on the recent and looming hiring freezes, layoffs and recession concerns that seem to be headed straight for us. Join us as she breaks down: Recent layoffs that touch tech, fintech and ot...

There are so many tools available today to make marketing and sales efficient. But are they being used as strategically as they could be? In this episode, we talk with Tom Armitage , Sales Executive at Site-Seeker Inc ., about best practices for manufacturers honing in on their inbound marketing and sales strategies. Join us as we discuss: Target audiences and buyer personas The importance of keyw...

Creating your own community for sourcing talent can help increase employer brand awareness and increase the number of applicants into your recruiting funnel. Plus, social media tools like Facebook Groups make it easy to get started. In this episode, I talk about how I created a successful Facebook Group connecting job seekers with recruiters in my industry, how I use that to source manufacturing t...

If you’re trying to maximize your efficiency when it comes to recruiting, one of the best places to focus on is top of the funnel. Without that robust pipeline of candidates, you’ll find yourself doubling your efforts every time you have to launch a search. In this episode, we talk with Sara Causey, Staffing & Recruiting SME | Executive Coach, about best practices for talent acquisition, commo...