Shumita Basu

That's NPR's Greg Roselski with Planet Money. He set out to try to answer the question, with all the talk of boosting domestic manufacturing, why aren't Americans filling the manufacturing jobs we already have? As of March, there are nearly half a million open manufacturing jobs, according to government data, and probably more coming.

The current and previous administrations have taken steps to boost manufacturing in the United States, whether it be Biden's Chips and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act or Trump's tariffs. Some estimates predict that Biden's policies alone could add millions of more jobs over the next decade or so. But Rosalski told us the industry is struggling to find workers.

The current and previous administrations have taken steps to boost manufacturing in the United States, whether it be Biden's Chips and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act or Trump's tariffs. Some estimates predict that Biden's policies alone could add millions of more jobs over the next decade or so. But Rosalski told us the industry is struggling to find workers.

The current and previous administrations have taken steps to boost manufacturing in the United States, whether it be Biden's Chips and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act or Trump's tariffs. Some estimates predict that Biden's policies alone could add millions of more jobs over the next decade or so. But Rosalski told us the industry is struggling to find workers.

So what's driving this? The president of the Manufacturing Institute told Rosalski she believes the industry has a major PR problem, that people today have an outdated idea of what these jobs look like.

So what's driving this? The president of the Manufacturing Institute told Rosalski she believes the industry has a major PR problem, that people today have an outdated idea of what these jobs look like.

So what's driving this? The president of the Manufacturing Institute told Rosalski she believes the industry has a major PR problem, that people today have an outdated idea of what these jobs look like.

Another reason these roles have been tough to fill, many require higher levels of education. Manufacturing used to be a strong career option for people with a high school diploma, but roughly half of the open roles today require a college degree, as the technology in plants has gotten more sophisticated. And finally, there's the issue of pay.

Another reason these roles have been tough to fill, many require higher levels of education. Manufacturing used to be a strong career option for people with a high school diploma, but roughly half of the open roles today require a college degree, as the technology in plants has gotten more sophisticated. And finally, there's the issue of pay.

Another reason these roles have been tough to fill, many require higher levels of education. Manufacturing used to be a strong career option for people with a high school diploma, but roughly half of the open roles today require a college degree, as the technology in plants has gotten more sophisticated. And finally, there's the issue of pay.

Manufacturers have raised pay in recent years, and offering more would likely incentivize more people to consider the jobs. But Rozalski says that raises another perplexing question for the industry.

Manufacturers have raised pay in recent years, and offering more would likely incentivize more people to consider the jobs. But Rozalski says that raises another perplexing question for the industry.

Manufacturers have raised pay in recent years, and offering more would likely incentivize more people to consider the jobs. But Rozalski says that raises another perplexing question for the industry.

In other words, if American manufacturers can figure out a way to be more productive than foreign competitors by producing more in less time, they might be able to pay the higher wages needed to attract and retain American workers. But as Roselski points out, that's a pretty unlikely scenario. In recent years, U.S. manufacturing has been seeing an alarming slowdown in productivity growth.

In other words, if American manufacturers can figure out a way to be more productive than foreign competitors by producing more in less time, they might be able to pay the higher wages needed to attract and retain American workers. But as Roselski points out, that's a pretty unlikely scenario. In recent years, U.S. manufacturing has been seeing an alarming slowdown in productivity growth.

In other words, if American manufacturers can figure out a way to be more productive than foreign competitors by producing more in less time, they might be able to pay the higher wages needed to attract and retain American workers. But as Roselski points out, that's a pretty unlikely scenario. In recent years, U.S. manufacturing has been seeing an alarming slowdown in productivity growth.

Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. We are learning more about the bombing of a Palm Springs fertility clinic, which the FBI is investigating as an act of intentional terrorism. The suspect is believed to have died in the blast and was a 25-year-old 29 Palms resident.

Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. We are learning more about the bombing of a Palm Springs fertility clinic, which the FBI is investigating as an act of intentional terrorism. The suspect is believed to have died in the blast and was a 25-year-old 29 Palms resident.

Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. We are learning more about the bombing of a Palm Springs fertility clinic, which the FBI is investigating as an act of intentional terrorism. The suspect is believed to have died in the blast and was a 25-year-old 29 Palms resident.

The FBI described him as holding nihilistic ideations, while the LA Times quotes law enforcement sources describing him as an antinatalist who believed procreation was unethical. No one else died in the blast, although it caused extensive damage. The center is Coachella Valley's first and only full-service fertility center and IVF lab.