The manufacturing industry continues to grow in inclusivity, with women and people of color feeling more welcome and empowered to find careers in the field. But another group has been thriving in manufacturing, too: people with disabilities.
More than 1 in 4 adults (28.7%) in the U.S. have some type of disability. However, disabilities can range in severity, and be cognitive or physical.. So while there has been a bias against hiring disabled workers, many can, in fact, excel in many different manufacturing fields.
As the industry continues to contend with a labor shortage of skilled workers, manufacturers have been looking for ways to fill the gaps. People with disabilities have proven to be hard- working, skilled workers in their chosen fields, and as the industry becomes more inclusive, they’ve been able to thrive.
Breaking Down Barriers
Disabled people face a lot of barriers when it comes to finding work. This can come from employers not considering reasonable accommodations for them to disabled students and job-seekers not being aware that they could thrive in a certain industry. Thankfully, this has been changing. In 2023, 22.5% of people with a disability were employed—the highest recorded ratio since data first started being collected in 2008.
An article by disabilityin.org stated, “According to the 2023 Disability Equality Index (DEI), spearheaded by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and global nonprofit Disability:IN, more companies are taking steps to advance the inclusion of people with disabilities. Ninety-nine percent of survey participants say they offer flexible work options, and 93% encourage employees to self-identify as a person with a disability.”
In the past several years, the manufacturing industry has seen a lot of changes in the production line. One example is that automation and other assistive technologies are on the rise. While some question if such machines are taking away jobs, they’re actually offering new opportunities to those who struggle with physical limitations. New manufacturing technology on the production floor has made performing analytical tasks simple for anyone with the right mindset and education.
Hands-On Training Assisting Students with Disabilities
Hands-on training benefits a lot of people looking to join the manufacturing workforce. Regular classroom learning isn’t ideal for everyone, nor does it grant the kind of firsthand experience that many employers are seeking. Laborers who come pre-trained are instantly more employable in the manufacturing industry than those without.
Down in Florida, Haven Academy High School, a school designed for students with complex learning needs, demonstrated this with a four-week training camp for those with disabilities. It proved to be extremely engaging and exciting for the students, teaching them both soft skills like communication and more direct manufacturing training. The students were shown to thrive in the process, with many citing that they preferred working with their hands more than anything else. Thus, they felt more drawn to the field and like they could build a genuine career in it.
At AMTEP, our free training courses in various manufacturing fields are hands-on and led by instructors with industry experience. The classes are designed to be accessible and inclusive to people of different abilities, ages, and walks of life so they can begin a lucrative and engaging career in the manufacturing industry. Disabled people who might have felt there was no place for them in manufacturing may be surprised to realize that they’re not only welcome in the workforce, but can thrive here.