The federal government is taking a much closer look at how employees are classified and if employers are abiding by appropriate wage and hour laws. For manufacturing companies, a major concern is the distinction between non-exempt and exempt employees.
There was a time, not that long ago, when apprenticeship programs were the standard for developing new manufacturing talent. Young people who had an interest in manufacturing served apprenticeships through which they learned skilled trades. These days you seldom hear of such programs. What we do hear too often is how difficult it is to find qualified machinists and other employees.