Business & Tech

Where Have All the Machinists Gone?

One Kennesaw business owner told CNN Money he can't find enough skilled workers to operate his factory.

In a special report published Thursday, Kennesaw business owner Dennis Winslow told CNN Money that he's "facing a real conundrum."

"There are so many unemployed people in the country. But I can't find the skill sets that I need. I would hire tomorrow if I could," said Winslow, owner of Win-Techο»Ώ, a Kennesaw-based manufacturing company.

Winslow told CNN Money that orders from customers in the defense and aerospace industries are coming in faster than he can keep up with. For over a year, he's had difficulty hiring additional skilled workers for his factory.

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"Being a machinist once was considered a respectable trade. But young Americans just don't consider manufacturing to be a sexy vocation," he said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of machinists is projected to decline by 5 percent over the 2008–18 decade, mostly due to strong foreign competition.

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But the Bureau also reports that job prospects in the industry should remain good as many young people with the necessary educational qualifications choose to attend college or pursue other career paths instead.

"Therefore, the number of workers learning to be machinists is expected to be less than the number of job openings arising each year from the need to replace experienced machinists who retire or transfer to other occupations," the report says.

Check here to learn more about the machinist profession. Also, if you're interested in working for Win-Tech, the company has the following job openings posted on its website: Machinist, Toolmaker, CNC Programmer, Painter, Administration and Purchasing.

You can e-mail your resume to info@win-tech.net. The company is located at 8520 Cobb Center Dr. in Kenesaw, and their phone number is 770-423-9358.

Have you considered a career as a machinist? Tell us in the comments.


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