Manufacturers Are Turning Down Work Due to U.S. Labor Shortage

Nearly half of manufacturing executives are turning down business opportunities due to a lack of workers, a new survey shows.

Almost 45% of manufacturing leaders are constrained by talent shortages, according to a report from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute released Wednesday. At the same time, nearly 83% of manufacturers surveyed said that attracting and retaining a quality workforce is a top challenge.

While job openings in manufacturing have fallen from a record 943,000 in July, they remain at more than double pre-pandemic levels. The elevated number of vacancies reflects both a struggle to recruit qualified talent and strong ...