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Blog
Skills gap threatens defense industries
March 5, 2008
Could the engineering skills gap put our national defenses at risk? Well, yes. According to an Associated Press article, defense industries are facing the same aging workforce as everybody else. For example, almost 60% of U.S. aerospace workers are 45 or older. More specifically, Northrop Grumman estimates that roughly half of its 122,000 workers will be eligible to retire in the next five to 10 years. At Boeing, 15% of the company's engineers are 55 or older and eligible to retire now. (Read the Control Engineering skills gap article from January.)
To make matters worse, defense companies that need people with security clearance usually have to hire U.S. citizens and therefore cannot easily import engineering talent. Nor is it possible to farm out as much work to overseas sources.
The only practical solution: Grow more engineers. Our defense industries need to reach out to young people and make them want to pursue that career path. Those companies are not alone by any means. We're all looking for creative answers.
Posted by Peter Welander on March 5, 2008 | Comments (1)
In response to: Skills gap threatens defense industries
Ryan commented:
I'm a perfect candidate!! I'm fresh out of college and working as an automation tech at a cheese plant in Minnesota. Since I've heard about the career "Control Engineer" that's what I plan make my job title, for sure within the next 5 years. It's outstanding experience, but I don't plan on making cheese the rest of my life. I've read about "weapon development" positions, and saw some applications of automation on Future Weapons for robots and howitzers...that's where my career goals are pointing right now. So if Mr. Welander, or anyone else has some links, websites, training, etc. that might help me out with my goals in this area, please let me know!! Thanks.