American manufacturing has experienced a new wave of energy and investment. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, market demand for U.S. manufacturing has grown, and new policies like the CHIPS and Science Act have dedicated new public investment to the future of domestic production. Despite this momentum, manufacturers have faced a persistent challenge as they seek to grow: recruiting and retaining the next generation
of manufacturing workers. In response, educational institutions, as well as state and local governments, have focused on building a pipeline of skilled manufacturing workers that can meet industry demand. This paper explores how the wages and upward mobility of manufacturing jobs vary by sector — and what can be done to support better jobs in manufacturing.