Indians find manufacturing as attractive career option: Survey

MUMBAI: Even as India ranked least amongst the developing economies when it came to the government support in manufacturing sector the country topped with most agreeing it to be a practical career option, a recent global manufacturing survey says.India ranked the least amongst developing economies at 60 percent when it came to government support, like policies and reforms, for the manufacturing industry, a new report 'Engaging the Modern Manufacturing Workforce' commissioned by Kronos incorporated and conducted by IDC reveals.

However, when asked how does the future of manufacturing look as a career option for the next generation, 92 percent Indians thought it as a practical career option, it points out.

Australia and China were ranked lowest with 74 percent and 70 percent, respectively, in considering manufacturing as a career option.

It also reveal that about 32 percent Indian manufacturers claimed that manufacturing was detrimental to the economy of the country.

The study included new primary research with 550 workforce management stakeholders across 11 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom and the US.

The companies included in the research were from the manufacturing industry and included a diverse collection of both discrete and process manufacturers.

Labor productivity was rated as the main driver of success among all countries, including India, as factors that affect the success of manufacturers.

Brazil was ranked at top in thinking the need for modern infrastructure with 88 percent followed by India with 82 percent, the US with 66 percent about agreeing about modern infrastructure's importance.

The survey also found that most Indian manufacturers think that absences can get in impacting productivity.

"When asked if absenteeism was not a problem, India at 36 percent had the highest number of respondents that disagreed, suggesting absenteeism to be a larger issue than other countries," it says.

Factors that affect the success of manufacturers, 74.7 percent (the highest) of all respondents agreed that a high level of labour productivity is very or extremely important for achieving manufacturing success.

Emerging nations rated the need for modern infrastructure higher than mature economies and labour productivity topped as the main driver of success among all countries.

While Brazil, Mexico, and Spain scored the highest regarding labour productivity with 82 percent, India scored relatively low with 68 percent.

On shortage of skills required for specialized manufacturing jobs, Germany and the US demonstrated a higher availability of skilled workers, with only 2 and 6 percent, respectively agreeing that there is a shortage.

Brazil and Mexico scored the highest demonstrating a greater lack of specialised manufacturing workers, with 40 and 28 percent agreeing to a shortage followed by India with 18 percent.