In the final episode of the Work in Progress podcast series The Manufacturing Comeback, we look at how employers are recruiting and training veterans and women to fill jobs in the manufacturing industry. Employers Anticipate a Surge in Hiring in Manufacturing On my recent trip to Minneapolis for The Manufacturing Institute's Workforce Summit 2025, employers told me that there are a lot of new plants being built around the country, bringing jobs back to the states. The work is more high-tech than in decades past, and employers are now competing with other industries that are also demanding skilled talent. By one estimate from MI and Deloitte, manufacturing will need 3.8 million workers over the next eight years. To meet that demand, they are actively recruiting military veterans and women, the latter being an underrepresented group in manufacturing. Heroes MAKE America, Women MAKE America In the podcast, you'll learn about two Manufacturing Institute initiatives – Heroes MAKE America and Women MAKE America. You'll hear how Heroes MAKE America is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare transitioning service members and their spouses for jobs in manufacturing. Once trained, the program is also making connections to employers who are hiring. The Women MAKE America initiative is working to add more women to the industry. Right now, just about 30% of all manufacturing employees are women. You'll hear how they are trying to significantly grow that number. The Manufacturing Comeback The recent uptick in manufacturing construction and hiring is fueled by the infusion of federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in 2021, the CHIPS and Science Act enacted in 2022, and private funding. To better understand how the manufacturing comeback is reshaping the workforce, I speak with Gardner Carrick, chief program officer for The Manufacturing Institute, which is helping employers figure out how to build a strong talent pipeline. . This three-part podcast series is a robust conversation about an industry that is once again looking for workers. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. This series is made possible through support from The Manufacturing Institute. As a nonprofit journalism organization, WorkingNation partners and collaborates with outside organizations to make possible our mission of telling stories about solutions to today's workforce issues. All editorial decisions on this series were made independently of our supporter. Episode 341: The Manufacturing Comeback: Recruiting, Training, and Retaining Women and VeteransHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here