Automation continues to gobble up manufacturing jobs

While Jay County’s unemployment rate may be down from this time last year, one issue the area continues to face is job loss.

According to the Department of Workforce Development, the county has a workforce of fewer than 10,000 people, and a 3.2 percent unemployment rate, compared to last year’s 4 percent.

While those numbers may show improvement, the county is continuing to face a high rate of job loss as 167 jobs and 318 workers have been lost since mid-2016, giving Jay County the highest job-loss rate in Indiana.

Why are jobs being lost?

Bill Bradley, county development corporation executive director, said there a few reasons including automation and the need for high-skilled workers.

“Our county, and a lot of other counties in the state, are heavily dependent on manufacturing and what we are seeing now is a decrease in manufacturing employment due to automation,” Bradley said.

Automation is even more of a threat to the job market than some might think, according to a study from Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research.

Research found that about half of the jobs in the country are at risk, as automation could replace low-wage, low-skilled positions, including those in manufacturing, as well as data entry, telemarketing and mathematical technicians.

“In order to work in a manufacturing environment now, you have to have more than a high school diploma to get a lot of these jobs,” said Rusty Inman, executive director of the John Jay Center for Learning. “You can drive by Tyson, Priority Plastics and FCC and see that they aren’t even able to find workers. There are a lot of people looking because it takes skills to work in these careers.”

Inman said what he hears from employers is that they need workers with the “skills needed for the 21st century workforce.”

Both community leaders say education is key in a county where 84 percent of the population has a high school diploma or higher but only 10 percent has a bachelor’s degree or higher.

“The programs that are offered at the John Jay Center for Learning are going to play a major role in seeing a turnaround,” Inman said.

“We working to provide the education and technical training so that people will have these skills needed if they want a financially stable job.

“We are here to break down some barriers and show people that the education and career opportunities are right here. You don’t have to leave Jay County.”

Community members leaving the county is another issue that Bradley says contributes to the overall job loss statistics.

“As a population base, we are not growing,” Bradley said. “It is likely that we will see a negative rate of growth in the future. The population and workforce are just continuing to shrink.”

Now is the time for the community to look at how to attract more people to the area, Bradley said, something that he calls “the people game.”

This will involve revamping and spreading awareness about educational opportunities as well as the possibility of bringing more jobs to the area.

“We need to start attracting more companies,” Bradley said. “Not only with manufacturing, but other jobs in other field areas will be critical to our growth and local economy.”

While the statics may be alarming, Bradley advises community members to not get anxious or overwhelmed.

“Let’s continuing working on our goals,” he said “Gradually things will change. It won’t be an overnight thing.”