Champions for Change: Marion Manufacturing’s Doug Johnson

03.10.2022
Small Business

“The greatest problem we have had in work development is the Great Resignation,” says Marion Manufacturing president Doug Johnson.

“Where did everyone go?”

Connecticut’s worker shortage crisis is the greatest threat to the state’s economic recovery, with the state’s labor force—the number of employed residents plus those actively looking for work—down 92,000 (5%) people since February 2020.

That’s a staggering 40% of the region’s labor force decline and more than 10% of the country’s losses, yet we are just 1% of the U.S. population.

At the same time, job openings in the state ballooned to 110,000 in December, a 64% increase over December 2020.

The Cheshire-based metal components manufacturer said smaller companies like his don’t qualify for apprenticeship tax credits, putting small and mid-sized firms at a competitive disadvantage and further stunting growth prospects.

Johnson urges policymakers to help expand workforce development pipelines this legislative session so manufacturers can find, train, and keep the workers they need to fill the record number of open positions.

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