Job hunters looking to enter the manufacturing and logistics labor force this year will find high demand for their services, but they should expect plenty of competition for the most desirable spots, a new jobs report says.
HR services and staffing company Randstad US recently released its predictions for the hottest jobs—jobs that are most in-demand right now as well as emerging jobs—for 2017. To compile its list, the team looked at a variety of current workforce trends, including number of qualified candidates and available positions, market growth, salary range, and employer need for specific skill sets. This year's "Hot Jobs" report covered eight employment sectors, including manufacturing and logistics.
So where should job hunters be concentrating their efforts? For those seeking full-time work, the hottest jobs right now are production supervisor, driver, and warehouse supervisor, the firm said. The top emerging jobs are maintenance mechanic and machine operator. For those seeking temp work, the best prospects right now are jobs as loaders/unloaders, assemblers, and general production workers. At the top of the list of emerging temp jobs are forklift operators and picker/packers, the report found.
The predictions reflect the company's relatively rosy assessment of manufacturing's future. "New technology, innovative production systems, a?growing preference for American-made goods, and a?decline in offshoring are transforming U.S.?manufacturing," Greg Dyer, president of Randstad Commercial Staffing, said in a release. "There is an increased demand for?technology-savvy workers to not only capitalize on?the next industrial revolution, but to fill a critical void?left behind by retiring workers. Job seekers with?previous experience, higher education, technological? know-how, or training will have a competitive edge."
Gartner, Inc.