As large-scale infrastructure investment, reshoring, and clean-energy projects accelerate across the U.S., manufacturers are facing an increasingly complex workforce challenge — one that goes beyond short-term hiring spikes. In this interview, Mike Santora, Managing Editor of Design World Magazine, sits down with Robert Merritt, founder and CEO of SlateUp, to learn about how these trends are reshaping long-term demand for skilled technical talent.
Merritt shares how data centers, semiconductor fabs, and clean-energy facilities are creating sustained needs for engineers and technicians well into 2027 and beyond. He also explains why many of these roles reward broad technical aptitude and cross-disciplinary experience, rather than narrow job-specific backgrounds. Drawing on SlateUp’s work with manufacturers nationwide, Merritt outlines common workforce mistakes companies are making today—and offers practical guidance on using AI, career visibility, and retention strategies to build a durable, future-ready industrial workforce instead of becoming a training ground for competitors. See the full interview below.
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