You will not find a shortage of ways local manufacturers are working to help foster the next generation of employees. Last month, businesses throughout Door County, including those in the Sturgeon Bay Industrial Park, hosted high school students for Manufacturing Day, where they got a chance to go behind the scenes to see current employees and their machines go to work. Earlier this month, Sevastopol became the latest high school to receive significant upgrades to its technical education department with new machines. Much like D&S Machine and NEW Plastics in Luxemburg did for school districts in Kewaunee and Manitowoc counties, NEW Industries helped finance some of the machines that went into the building, and they will also provide some in-person instruction from current employees. NEW Industries owner Chris Moore says they are willing to do about anything to help generate interest in the manufacturing field, and he believes it is working.

The extra effort being made by manufacturers now is addressing a future problem. Industry trends show that the manufacturing sector could have a shortage of 2.1 million workers by 2030.