US Manufacturing Sector NAICS 31-33

Mar 20, 2026 - Training the Formerly Incarcerated

• The US Labor Department is investing $81 million in workforce training grants aimed at helping formerly incarcerated individuals gain skills and employment in high-demand industries, including advanced manufacturing, Manufacturing Dive reports. The funding will support the Restart initiative, which will finance up to 20 nationwide training projects that include pre-apprenticeships, registered apprenticeships, work-based learning, credential programs, and digital literacy training. For the US manufacturing sector, the program is designed to help address the ongoing labor shortage by expanding the available talent pool. Training will target areas such as advanced manufacturing, AI infrastructure, shipbuilding, nuclear energy, transportation, and domestic mineral production. The initiative also prioritizes partnerships with apprenticeship sponsors and workforce organizations to improve job placement and long-term employment outcomes. By preparing participants for skilled trades and manufacturing roles, the program aims to strengthen workforce pipelines, support production capacity, and help manufacturers recruit workers for critical positions.
• A report by the Foundation for American Innovation and the National Association of Manufacturers finds permitting delays cost US manufacturers more than $7.9 billion per year. Survey data shows that 50.8% of manufacturers are discouraged from investing in new or expanded capacity due to permitting challenges, while 65.6% say they would increase investment if timelines were faster and more predictable. The delays primarily affect facility expansions and equipment upgrades, meaning everyday manufacturing improvements, not just large-scale projects, are being slowed or halted. The report notes that the US permitting process can take up to 80% longer than in peer countries, reducing competitiveness. For the broader manufacturing sector, these bottlenecks limit capacity expansion, job creation, and modernization efforts, ultimately constraining production growth. Industry leaders are calling for reforms to streamline regulations and reduce duplicative reviews, emphasizing that clearer and faster permitting would unlock investment and accelerate project development.

• Several mega‑projects scheduled for 2026 signal rising investment in US manufacturing despite a recent dip in overall manufacturing construction spending and the cancellation of $32 billion in clean‑energy projects, Manufacturing Dive reports. Federal incentives, especially CHIPS Act funding and state tax credits, are driving a new concentration of high‑value manufacturing capacity across semiconductors, autos, and pharmaceuticals. Micron’s $200 billion multistate expansion, Samsung’s $17 billion Texas fab, and TSMC’s previously announced $100 billion US buildout collectively will strengthen domestic chip supply chains and create tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, while boosting demand for construction materials, automation systems, and industrial equipment. Stellantis’s $13 billion investment across four states accelerates domestic vehicle and EV‑related production, while Lilly’s $27 billion pharmaceutical buildout expands domestic drug‑ingredient and biologics capacity. For the manufacturing sector, the impact is broad: stronger regional manufacturing hubs, deeper supply‑chain localization, increased demand for skilled labor, and long‑term opportunities tied to capital equipment, components, and industrial services.
• Producer prices for all US manufacturing industries rose 3.3% in November compared to a year ago, after posting a flat previous November-versus-November annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Employment by manufacturing companies shrank 0.6% year over year in December, while average sector wages rose 4% over the same period to another new high of $29.60 per hour, BLS data show. While wages at manufacturing companies have risen sharply in recent years, employment by the sector has declined by more than 200,000 roles since 2023, with fewer Americans working in the sector than at any point since the pandemic ended.