Understanding Occupational and Skill Demand in NJ's Manufacturing Industry

The manufacturing industry employs over 460,000 workers in New Jersey. Jobs in the industry have undergone tremendous changes in recent decades. Technology is affecting industry productivity and has changed the way work is done. Workers must have technical expertise to understand the underlying principles of the production process and to interact effectively with the technology used to control these processes. This report summarizes the skill, knowledge, and educational requirements of key manufacturing occupations in the food processing, chemical processing, glass production, and printing/publishing sectors. It also identifies strategies for meeting the workforce challenges facing the industry