US needs skilled migrant workers in manufacturing sector

America is facing a dearth of skilled machinists and toolmakers, according to a report published in Industry Week, a well-known US trade publication. This gap can be plugged by recruiting highly-skilled migrant workers through US work visas, it adds. Mitch Free, author of the report and founder and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of ZYCI CNC Machining, Atlanta-based specialist in customised manufacturing, explains how his own company is hurting because of shortage of specialised talent and adds that they are experiencing problems in employing talented foreign personnel, which is turning to be tougher than tapping capital and creating customer demand. That there is talent shortage within the US manufacturing sector is no secret, according to Free. The shortage of talented hands in this field is because of many factors. One of them is shutting down of factories in the US and shifting them to countries where operation costs are much lower, causing an idea to spread that it was no longer a good career option in the US. Also, parents and career counsellors are egging high school graduates to opt for liberal arts degrees and seek professional careers, instead of choosing a career in manufacturing, which requires them to work on the field. Due to these reasons, Free adds that there is lesser manufacturing in the US now and vocational institutions have shut down many training programmes related to manufacturing. For trade schools to be given a new a lease of life and interns to gain ground again, it will take years, sad Free. That is the reason he is urging tapping talent, which is available in abundance in Asia. He says that having worked in China for quite some time he realises people from that country would love to migrate to America to work. In fact, Free is of the opinion that the US economy would benefit more from hiring skilled machinists than computer programmers. It will also create more jobs in the US, Free adds. To address this issue, Free is pressing the US Congress to consider introducing temporary H-1B visas for skilled manufacturing labour. India has no dearth of highly-killed labour in the manufacturing sector. So, those of you from the manufacturing sector with special skill sets wanting to migrate to the US come to Y-Axis, which will strive to make your dreams come true.