Rick Haglund: Wish to curiosity extra younger individuals in auto jobs? Don’t name them auto trade jobs.

Michigan is striving to develop into the nation’s chief within the improvement and manufacturing of electrical and self-driving automobiles, sustaining the state’s long-held distinction of being one of many world’s premier auto capitals.

However there’s an issue, and it’s an enormous one: Most of the state’s future employees don’t wish to be part of it.

A new survey by MICHauto, an trade promotional affiliation, discovered that greater than half of Michigan residents aged 17 to 24 don’t view the auto trade as a horny profession selection or one that’s culturally numerous, an essential consideration for a lot of younger employees. And solely about 25% of younger adults dwelling exterior of Michigan would take into account transferring right here to work within the auto trade.

What’s extra, the share of younger Michigan residents who see the auto trade as a compelling profession selection hasn’t budged from the same MICHauto survey six years in the past. That’s an ominous signal for a state with a stagnant inhabitants that’s competing in opposition to many different states for expertise to develop its financial system.

“The fact is now we have work to do,” stated Glenn Stevens Jr., MICHauto’s government director. “The issue is we all know we’re not shedding as many graduates as we predict we’re, however we’re not attracting sufficient high-tech expertise from different locations.”

A current examine by urbanist Richard Florida discovered that Michigan, opposite to traditional knowledge, does a very good job of retaining school graduates. It ranks seventh for the share of faculty and college graduates who keep within the state. However “Michigan lags badly in attracting younger, college-educated tech expertise from elsewhere,” Florida stated.

Florida’s examine was executed for the Detroit Regional Chamber, of which MICHauto is part. The MICHauto report was performed by Lambert, a Grand Rapids-based public relations agency. It surveyed 635 younger Michigan residents and 225 exterior the state. It requested them for his or her perceptions of the auto trade, starting from the manufacturing unit ground to its expertise facilities and different salaried areas.

Lambert additionally surveyed 526 older grownup “influencers” — mother and father, lecturers, college counselors, school professors and leaders of youth organizations. It discovered influencers have a extra constructive view of the auto trade. However in lots of circumstances, younger individuals aren’t shopping for what they’re promoting.

Stevens stated a part of the issue is the dearth of college counselors who can advise college students on the varied careers accessible within the trade. Michigan had only one counselor for 615 college students within the 2021-22 college 12 months, rating the state forty eighth within the nation.

“A number of youth believes you do not want a lot schooling past highschool to work within the auto trade,” he stated. “We’re not doing an excellent job with creating profession pathways.”

Whereas the character of auto manufacturing unit jobs hasn’t modified loads previously a number of many years, the expertise instruments used to carry out them has, requiring extra technical expertise by employees. On the identical time, many see little worth in acquiring schooling past highschool.

A statewide ballot in March by the Glengariff Group for the Detroit Regional Chamber discovered simply 27% of voters imagine “a school schooling is essential for a profitable job.” And half of Michigan voters stated they had been against the auto trade transitioning from gas-powered to electrical automobiles.

“Is it any marvel now we have a disconnect between jobs which can be accessible and academic necessities for acquiring them?” Stevens stated.

Florida’s examine discovered that Michigan struggles to draw tech expertise partially due to comparatively low wages for information jobs. For instance, the state ranks 19th in common wages for laptop programmers.

And though Michigan continues to be the U.S. chief in automobile improvement and manufacturing, “Michigan’s capabilities are skewed towards applied sciences and expertise of the previous,” his examine stated. Automakers should velocity “towards the brand new digital, related, electrical automobile applied sciences of the long run.”

Altering the notion, and the fact, of the auto trade to being a expertise trade could possibly be key to luring extra younger expertise to the enterprise. Many younger individuals wish to reside in fascinating areas and work for revolutionary firms striving to unravel “world points,” Stevens stated.

Rick Haglund: Will the brand new UAW president’s robust speak translate to wins on the bargaining desk?

Trade leaders and state officers have been attempting to try this by recasting the auto sector because the “mobility trade.” Michigan even has an Workplace of Future Mobility and Electrification in state authorities.

However the MICHauto survey discovered that “mobility” is a time period “fraught with confusion,” notably amongst grownup influencers. Many affiliate it with cell telephones, distant work, incapacity providers and transferring one’s place of residence.

“Auto is perceived as a little bit of an outdated time period and mobility is nebulous,” Stevens stated.

Even MICHauto, which regularly makes use of “mobility” in its work, is within the early levels of rebranding the group.

It’s additionally quickly launching a “social media influencer technique” that can function younger individuals within the auto trade speaking about their jobs and the communities the place they reside. 

Attracting extra expertise to (don’t name it) the auto trade, notably in its information sector, is essential to Michigan’s future prosperity.