By Eric Stock/Patrick Baron

BLOOMINGTON – While the need for manufacturers has grown in Illinois, there aren’t enough applicants to fill about 27,000 manufacturing jobs.

Illinois needs 27,000 workers every year for the next five years to keep up with retiring baby boomers. However, there aren’t enough qualified people for those positions.

Jim Nelson of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin there’s demand for all types of manufacturing jobs.

“We’re looking at engineers of all [types] – electrical, mechanical, production,” Nelson explained. “We’re looking at quality control people, metal working, we need people in the front office, in sales, marketing, accounting, purchasing.”

Nelson said IMA is seeking to get young people interested in jobs that don’t require a college degree.

“The real question we should be asking is: ‘Are you satisfied with the quality of applicants that’s walking through your door?’ That gets a very different response,” Nelson explained. “So we have to look at that and say: ‘Okay, what’s missing?'”

Nelson also said grade school students should engage in field trips and project-based learning opportunities to understand the relevance of manufacturing in subjects like math and science.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].