Changes in technology, energy and world labor markets are all driving a manufacturing renaissance in the U.S., but some economists believe Connecticut may miss out, despite its storied history as a manufacturing state.
The state has taken steps to retain its biggest manufacturing employer, United Technologies, and that safeguards thousands of jobs in supply chain companies around Connecticut.
U.S. Senator Chris Murphytold WNPR’s Where We Live that the Nutmeg State must also continue to invest in its workforce, improve its transportation infrastructure, and get smart about tax policy. "There is an open question," he said, "as to whether Connecticut is going to be part of this reindustrialization of America that is happening."
"Connecticut is poised," Murphy said, "specifically in the area of aerospace, to be part of that reindustrialization. There is an enormous backlog of aerospace work that needs to be done, particularly on the private sector side."
"If Connecticut is smart about how we invest in workforce," Murphy said, "and how we invest in technology, then we can be part of that boom. Admittedly, we have not seen the numbers of increased manufacturing jobs that other parts of the country have seen over the past five years."
Hear more from Senator Murphy and from some of the state’s manufacturers on Where We Live. The show kicks off a new year-long project, Made in Connecticut, which will examine the state of the manufacturing industry.