On March 8, at The Global Pathways for a Thriving Rural Workforce symposium in Williamsport, PA, our Executive Director, Carl Marrara, had the honor of sharing his research on Advanced Manufacturing. The symposium aims to ignite rural innovation and formulate policy recommendations for communities seeking skilled labor forces to enhance local economies, fill industrial gaps, and build inclusive communities that will encourage local leadership or international migration.
In Carl’s presentation, he lays out a rural economic overview of Pennsylvania. His findings show that manufacturing jobs pay 19% more than the average wage in rural PA; proprietor income is 4.7x higher in manufacturing compared to all industries in rural PA. Additionally, he noted that 10.4% of rural PA employment is within the manufacturing sector, underscoring its significance in rural economic stability.
Carl’s report delved into the challenges facing manufacturing in rural PA, identifying a deficit of 12% in potential employees holding Associate’s/Bachelor’s diplomas despite sufficient high school graduates. He also emphasized the crucial need for predictability in business environments, citing concerns such as unpredictable taxes, excessive government spending, regulatory hurdles, and workforce challenges, all of which hinder potential investments and job opportunities for rural Pennsylvanians.
Despite these hurdles, Pennsylvania offers numerous advantages for manufacturing, including convenient access to markets via rail, ports, and interstate systems, with 40% of US consumers within a day’s drive. Furthermore, the state boasts top-tier advanced manufacturing institutions and nearly 300 institutions of higher learning, along with abundant resources such as energy, electricity, water, minerals, and forest products essential for manufacturing processes.
Click on the image to view the presentation (pdf):
