Skilled worker shortage is bigger than the factory floor

It's in danger of becoming so well-worn that it loses impact: The shortage of skilled workers and the lack of interest in manufacturing by young people.

Now there are fears that slowing growth in the labor force is hurting U.S. economic growth today, and for years in the future. In late August, The Associated Press released its latest survey of leading economists. Most of them said the rather listless pickup that we've seen so far, in the slow recovery from the Great Recession, should continue.

AP reported that nearly 70 percent of the economists think economic growth through 2017 will remain under 3 percent — which had been the average over many years.

OK, 2017 … that's only two more years, right? Unfortunately, the worker slowdown hangs, long-term, over the economy like a dark cloud following Eeyore, like dirt hanging around Pig-Pen. Like Donald Trump pasting Jeb Bush — well, maybe not as bad as that, but still …

AP reported that many of economists say the slowdown in the proportion of Americans with jobs are hurting the overall economy. People in the plastics industry — and most other industries — already know that skilled Baby Boomers are retiring. Finding replacements eager to machine the metal, set up the injection molding machines, run the quality labs and other industrial tasks has become a matter of national urgency.

AP quotes Luke Tilley, chief economist at Wilmington Trust: “The slowdown in labor force growth is the main reason [economic] growth in the U.S. will be slower than it was in the second half of the previous century.”

So now we know the worker shortage is bigger than the factory floor. It's an important national issue. Let's hope this gets a full airing in the presidential primaries and election. The Republicans are going to have to better than Trump calling everyone stupid. We have heard some interesting ideas on how to pay for college, and while President Obama has talked about community college education, the presidential candidates haven't said much about vocational education.

And it's not just plastics. I've got a good plumber, but he's in his late 50s, and he's not going to be contorting his body to get to pipes under the sink forever.

Where's my next plumber gonna come from?

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Speaking of getting them while they're young, Heavy Metal brings another story from the plastics front lines. On Aug. 25, Currier Plastics Inc. in Auburn, N.Y., hosted a group of ninth grade students from Auburn High School for the P-Tech Auburn Pathways in Technology Program.

P-Tech is a new program. Over six years, students get their high school degree and also an associate's degree from the local Cayuga Community College. Each student is matched with a business mentor.

Currier Plastics has donated an injection molding machine to the college's Plastics Technology program, has helped the school get equipment from some of its vendors, and provided engineering and molding expertise.

Your local area may already have a formal school/industry partnership. But even if not, get kids in for a plant tour and show them what a modern plastics factory looks like. They won't forget it. And they could be your future employees.