The decline in American manufacturing is a common refrain, particularly from Donald Trump. “We don’t make anything anymore,” he told Fox News, while defending his own made-in-Mexico clothing line.

    Without question, manufacturing has taken a significant hit during recent decades, and further trade deals raise questions about whether new shocks could hit manufacturing.

    But there is also a different way to look at the data.

    Across the country, factory owners are now grappling with a new challenge: instead of having too many workers, they may end up with too few. Despite trade competition and outsourcing, American manufacturing still needs to replace tens of thousands of retiring boomers every year. Millennials may not be that interested in taking their place. Other industries are recruiting them with similar or better pay.

    For factory owners, it all adds up to stiff competition for workers—and upward pressure on wages. “They’re harder to find and they have job offers,” says Jay Dunwell, president of Wolverine Coil Spring, a family-owned firm, “They may be coming into the workforce, but they’ve been plucked by other industries that are also doing as well as manufacturing,” Mr. Dunwell has begun bringing high school juniors to the factory so they can get exposed to its culture.

    At RoMan Manufacturing, a maker of electrical transformers and welding equipment that his father cofounded in 1980, Robert Roth keeps a close eye on the age of his nearly 200 workers. Five are retiring this year. Mr. Roth has three community-college students enrolled in a work-placement program, with a starting wage of $13 an hour that rises to $17 after two years.

    At a worktable inside the transformer plant, young Jason Stenquist looks flustered by the copper coils he’s trying to assemble and the arrival of two visitors. It’s his first week on the job. Asked about his choice of career, he says at high school he considered medical school before switching to electrical engineering. “I love working with tools. I love creating,” he says.

    But to win over these young workers, manufacturers have to clear another major hurdle: parents, who lived through the worst US economic downturn since the Great Depression, telling them to avoid the factory. Millennials “remember their father and mother both were laid off. They blame it on the manufacturing recession,” says Birgit Klohs, chief executive of The Right Place, a business development agency for western Michigan.

    These concerns aren’t misplaced: employment in manufacturing has fallen from 17 million in 1970 to 12 million in 2015. When the recovery began, worker shortages first appeared in the high-skilled trades. Now shortages are appearing at the mid-skill levels.

    “The gap is between the jobs that take no skills and those that require a lot of skill,” says Rob Spohr, a business professor at Montcalm Community College. “There’re enough people to fill the jobs at McDonalds and other places where you don’t need to have much skill. It’s that gap in between, and that’s where the problem is.”

    Julie Parks of Grand Rapids Community College points to another key to luring Millennials into manufacturing: a work/life balance. While their parents were content to work long hours, young people value flexibility. “Overtime is not attractive to this generation. They really want to live their lives,” she says.

【A】says that he switched to electrical engineering because he loves working with tools.

【B】points out that there are enough people to fill the jobs that don’t need much skill.

【C】points out that the US doesn’t manufacture anything anymore.

【D】believes that it is important to keep a close eye on the age of his workers.

【E】says that for factory owners, workers are harder to find because of stiff competition.

【F】points out that a work/life balance can attract young people into manufacturing.

【G】says that the manufacturing recession is to blame for the lay-off of the young people’s parents.

选项分析

[A] says that he switched to electrical engineering because he loves working with tools.

表示他换到电机工程是因为他喜欢和工具打交道。

[B] points out that there are enough people to fill the jobs that don’t need much skill.

指出不需要太多技能的工作岗位有足够的劳动力。

[C] points out that the US doesn’t manufacture anything anymore.

指出美国不再制造任何东西。

[D] believes that it is important to keep a close eye on the age of his workers.

相信密切关注工人的年龄很重要。

[E] says that for factory owners, workers are harder to find because of stiff competition.

表示对工厂老板而言，竞争激烈导致招工更加困难。

[F] points out that a work/life balance can attract young people into manufacturing.

指出工作与生活的平衡能吸引年轻人加入制造业。

[G] says that the manufacturing recession is to blame for the lay-off of the young people’s parents.

指出制造业衰退是造成年轻人的父母失业的原因。

试题解析

答案精析：根据题干中的Jay Dunwell可定位至第五段。根据文章第五段首句可知，对于工厂老板而言，其结果就是招工的激烈竞争以及薪酬上升的压力。而第二句又说到，招人变得很困难，而且他们已经有工作机会了。由此可知，由于竞争激烈，使得招收新员工更难了。因此选择E项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Jason Stenquist可定位至第七段第三至五句。根据定位句可知，詹森·斯滕奎斯特说他从学医转到电机工程，因为他喜欢跟工具打交道，因此选择A项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Birgit Klohs可定位至文章第八段。根据比吉特·克洛斯的话可知，千禧一代都记得父母曾双双被裁员，他们将此责怪到衰退的制造业头上。G项中的manufacturing recession是原词复现，is to blame for对应原文中的blame it on，因此G项符合题意。

答案精析：根据题干中的Rob Spohr可定位至第十段。第十段引用Rob Spohr的话说明劳动力缺口的情况，并以此来表明劳动缺口存在于需要大量技能的工作上。倒数第二句指出，麦当劳和其他不需要员工有太多技能的地方招满了人，也就是说不需太多技能的工作劳动力都很充足。B项中的enough people和don’t need much skill为原文的同义复现，因此选择B项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Julie Parks可定位至文章最后一段。根据最后一段首句可知，吸引千禧一代进入制造业的另一个关键在于工作和生活之间的平衡。F项中的a work/life balance是文章的原词复现，因此正确答案为F项。

选项分析

[A] says that he switched to electrical engineering because he loves working with tools.

表示他换到电机工程是因为他喜欢和工具打交道。

[B] points out that there are enough people to fill the jobs that don’t need much skill.

指出不需要太多技能的工作岗位有足够的劳动力。

[C] points out that the US doesn’t manufacture anything anymore.

指出美国不再制造任何东西。

[D] believes that it is important to keep a close eye on the age of his workers.

相信密切关注工人的年龄很重要。

[E] says that for factory owners, workers are harder to find because of stiff competition.

表示对工厂老板而言，竞争激烈导致招工更加困难。

[F] points out that a work/life balance can attract young people into manufacturing.

指出工作与生活的平衡能吸引年轻人加入制造业。

[G] says that the manufacturing recession is to blame for the lay-off of the young people’s parents.

指出制造业衰退是造成年轻人的父母失业的原因。

试题解析

答案精析：根据题干中的Jay Dunwell可定位至第五段。根据文章第五段首句可知，对于工厂老板而言，其结果就是招工的激烈竞争以及薪酬上升的压力。而第二句又说到，招人变得很困难，而且他们已经有工作机会了。由此可知，由于竞争激烈，使得招收新员工更难了。因此选择E项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Jason Stenquist可定位至第七段第三至五句。根据定位句可知，詹森·斯滕奎斯特说他从学医转到电机工程，因为他喜欢跟工具打交道，因此选择A项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Birgit Klohs可定位至文章第八段。根据比吉特·克洛斯的话可知，千禧一代都记得父母曾双双被裁员，他们将此责怪到衰退的制造业头上。G项中的manufacturing recession是原词复现，is to blame for对应原文中的blame it on，因此G项符合题意。

答案精析：根据题干中的Rob Spohr可定位至第十段。第十段引用Rob Spohr的话说明劳动力缺口的情况，并以此来表明劳动缺口存在于需要大量技能的工作上。倒数第二句指出，麦当劳和其他不需要员工有太多技能的地方招满了人，也就是说不需太多技能的工作劳动力都很充足。B项中的enough people和don’t need much skill为原文的同义复现，因此选择B项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Julie Parks可定位至文章最后一段。根据最后一段首句可知，吸引千禧一代进入制造业的另一个关键在于工作和生活之间的平衡。F项中的a work/life balance是文章的原词复现，因此正确答案为F项。

选项分析

[A] says that he switched to electrical engineering because he loves working with tools.

表示他换到电机工程是因为他喜欢和工具打交道。

[B] points out that there are enough people to fill the jobs that don’t need much skill.

指出不需要太多技能的工作岗位有足够的劳动力。

[C] points out that the US doesn’t manufacture anything anymore.

指出美国不再制造任何东西。

[D] believes that it is important to keep a close eye on the age of his workers.

相信密切关注工人的年龄很重要。

[E] says that for factory owners, workers are harder to find because of stiff competition.

表示对工厂老板而言，竞争激烈导致招工更加困难。

[F] points out that a work/life balance can attract young people into manufacturing.

指出工作与生活的平衡能吸引年轻人加入制造业。

[G] says that the manufacturing recession is to blame for the lay-off of the young people’s parents.

指出制造业衰退是造成年轻人的父母失业的原因。

试题解析

答案精析：根据题干中的Jay Dunwell可定位至第五段。根据文章第五段首句可知，对于工厂老板而言，其结果就是招工的激烈竞争以及薪酬上升的压力。而第二句又说到，招人变得很困难，而且他们已经有工作机会了。由此可知，由于竞争激烈，使得招收新员工更难了。因此选择E项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Jason Stenquist可定位至第七段第三至五句。根据定位句可知，詹森·斯滕奎斯特说他从学医转到电机工程，因为他喜欢跟工具打交道，因此选择A项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Birgit Klohs可定位至文章第八段。根据比吉特·克洛斯的话可知，千禧一代都记得父母曾双双被裁员，他们将此责怪到衰退的制造业头上。G项中的manufacturing recession是原词复现，is to blame for对应原文中的blame it on，因此G项符合题意。

答案精析：根据题干中的Rob Spohr可定位至第十段。第十段引用Rob Spohr的话说明劳动力缺口的情况，并以此来表明劳动缺口存在于需要大量技能的工作上。倒数第二句指出，麦当劳和其他不需要员工有太多技能的地方招满了人，也就是说不需太多技能的工作劳动力都很充足。B项中的enough people和don’t need much skill为原文的同义复现，因此选择B项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Julie Parks可定位至文章最后一段。根据最后一段首句可知，吸引千禧一代进入制造业的另一个关键在于工作和生活之间的平衡。F项中的a work/life balance是文章的原词复现，因此正确答案为F项。

选项分析

[A] says that he switched to electrical engineering because he loves working with tools.

表示他换到电机工程是因为他喜欢和工具打交道。

[B] points out that there are enough people to fill the jobs that don’t need much skill.

指出不需要太多技能的工作岗位有足够的劳动力。

[C] points out that the US doesn’t manufacture anything anymore.

指出美国不再制造任何东西。

[D] believes that it is important to keep a close eye on the age of his workers.

相信密切关注工人的年龄很重要。

[E] says that for factory owners, workers are harder to find because of stiff competition.

表示对工厂老板而言，竞争激烈导致招工更加困难。

[F] points out that a work/life balance can attract young people into manufacturing.

指出工作与生活的平衡能吸引年轻人加入制造业。

[G] says that the manufacturing recession is to blame for the lay-off of the young people’s parents.

指出制造业衰退是造成年轻人的父母失业的原因。

试题解析

答案精析：根据题干中的Jay Dunwell可定位至第五段。根据文章第五段首句可知，对于工厂老板而言，其结果就是招工的激烈竞争以及薪酬上升的压力。而第二句又说到，招人变得很困难，而且他们已经有工作机会了。由此可知，由于竞争激烈，使得招收新员工更难了。因此选择E项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Jason Stenquist可定位至第七段第三至五句。根据定位句可知，詹森·斯滕奎斯特说他从学医转到电机工程，因为他喜欢跟工具打交道，因此选择A项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Birgit Klohs可定位至文章第八段。根据比吉特·克洛斯的话可知，千禧一代都记得父母曾双双被裁员，他们将此责怪到衰退的制造业头上。G项中的manufacturing recession是原词复现，is to blame for对应原文中的blame it on，因此G项符合题意。

答案精析：根据题干中的Rob Spohr可定位至第十段。第十段引用Rob Spohr的话说明劳动力缺口的情况，并以此来表明劳动缺口存在于需要大量技能的工作上。倒数第二句指出，麦当劳和其他不需要员工有太多技能的地方招满了人，也就是说不需太多技能的工作劳动力都很充足。B项中的enough people和don’t need much skill为原文的同义复现，因此选择B项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Julie Parks可定位至文章最后一段。根据最后一段首句可知，吸引千禧一代进入制造业的另一个关键在于工作和生活之间的平衡。F项中的a work/life balance是文章的原词复现，因此正确答案为F项。

选项分析

[A] says that he switched to electrical engineering because he loves working with tools.

表示他换到电机工程是因为他喜欢和工具打交道。

[B] points out that there are enough people to fill the jobs that don’t need much skill.

指出不需要太多技能的工作岗位有足够的劳动力。

[C] points out that the US doesn’t manufacture anything anymore.

指出美国不再制造任何东西。

[D] believes that it is important to keep a close eye on the age of his workers.

相信密切关注工人的年龄很重要。

[E] says that for factory owners, workers are harder to find because of stiff competition.

表示对工厂老板而言，竞争激烈导致招工更加困难。

[F] points out that a work/life balance can attract young people into manufacturing.

指出工作与生活的平衡能吸引年轻人加入制造业。

[G] says that the manufacturing recession is to blame for the lay-off of the young people’s parents.

指出制造业衰退是造成年轻人的父母失业的原因。

试题解析

答案精析：根据题干中的Jay Dunwell可定位至第五段。根据文章第五段首句可知，对于工厂老板而言，其结果就是招工的激烈竞争以及薪酬上升的压力。而第二句又说到，招人变得很困难，而且他们已经有工作机会了。由此可知，由于竞争激烈，使得招收新员工更难了。因此选择E项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Jason Stenquist可定位至第七段第三至五句。根据定位句可知，詹森·斯滕奎斯特说他从学医转到电机工程，因为他喜欢跟工具打交道，因此选择A项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Birgit Klohs可定位至文章第八段。根据比吉特·克洛斯的话可知，千禧一代都记得父母曾双双被裁员，他们将此责怪到衰退的制造业头上。G项中的manufacturing recession是原词复现，is to blame for对应原文中的blame it on，因此G项符合题意。

答案精析：根据题干中的Rob Spohr可定位至第十段。第十段引用Rob Spohr的话说明劳动力缺口的情况，并以此来表明劳动缺口存在于需要大量技能的工作上。倒数第二句指出，麦当劳和其他不需要员工有太多技能的地方招满了人，也就是说不需太多技能的工作劳动力都很充足。B项中的enough people和don’t need much skill为原文的同义复现，因此选择B项。

答案精析：根据题干中的Julie Parks可定位至文章最后一段。根据最后一段首句可知，吸引千禧一代进入制造业的另一个关键在于工作和生活之间的平衡。F项中的a work/life balance是文章的原词复现，因此正确答案为F项。