After losing an estimated 1.4 million jobs at the beginning of the pandemic, the manufacturing industry is struggling to hire back entry-level and skilled workers alike. Additionally, almost 25% of the manufacturing workforce is 55 or older. As these Baby Boomers retire – taking their experience with them – there aren’t enough people entering the trades to fill their positions.

Company culture has a profound impact on employee engagement, morale, productivity, and overall business success. Classic research by Kotter demonstrates that when cultures are more effective, organizations see payoffs in revenue growth, retention, and net income.

Years of social bias and an expectation that everyone will attend a four-year college, especially women, have resulted in the majority of skilled workers being men. But women bring a unique skill set to the trades and shouldn’t be underestimated.