New manufacturing jobs will need diverse skill sets from university grads

Manufacturing jobs are increasingly demanding more specialized, technological skills from prospective employees, and, according to an article in the Financial Post, universities are not doing enough to meet those needs. While internships and co-op programs are helping some graduates develop the practical skills required to work in the manufacturing sector today, as the field becomes increasingly technologized employers will come to expect more from graduates in terms of empirical skills and the ability to practically apply their knowledge. The article suggests that universities and high schools are falling behind colleges in this respect. While many universities champion technology startups, they fail to adequately support the manufacturing principles required to put many of those ideas into production, says Karna Gupta, President of the Information Technology Association of Canada. The article says that while some institutions are preparing their curricula for the "new manufacturing" landscape, schools will need to help students graduate with a more diverse skill set. Financial Post