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U.S. NEWS Friday 28 July 2017

Rust Belt Wisconsin looks to fill high-skill jobs at Foxconn

manufacturing jobs and is Still said. the glass and that’s expen-
still recovering from factory Economists elsewhere note sive,” so it’s unclear how
layoffs — including the clo- highly skilled postings aren’t many of the jobs will be for
sure of a General Motors always easy to fill. assembly workers.
plant after the 2008 finan- “For an indicator I would Still said worker shortages
cial crisis. look at Michigan. There’s for higher-skilled jobs are
Foxconn has not said what lots of workers in Michi- common around the coun-
type of jobs it will offer in gan and there’s lots of try and it’s a challenge that
order to produce liquid- advanced manufacturing Foxconn could’ve faced
crystal display panels that jobs in Michigan, and most with any of the other states
are used in televisions and of them are difficult to fill,” it was considering — Michi-
computer screens. But the said Stefanie Lenway, dean gan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,
average salary for the jobs of the Opus College of Busi- Pennsylvania and Texas.
will be nearly $54,000, sug- ness at the University of St. But Wisconsin officials say
gesting some of the higher- Thomas in Minneapolis. the state’s higher educa-
end positions will be engi- Lenway also said that mak- tion system is capable of
neers, software developers ing LCD screens doesn’t producing enough em-
and people proficient in involve people “because ployees by the time the
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker speaks in the East Room computer-assisted design, people create defects on plant opens in 2020. q
accompanied by House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., Foxconn
CEO and founder Terry Gou, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.,
at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 26, 2017.
Trump said that electronics giant Foxconn will build a $10 billion
factory in Wisconsin that’s expected to create 3,000 jobs.
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
By IVAN MORENO randum of understanding
SCOTT BAUER Thursday to build its first
Associated Press U.S. manufacturing plant
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Rust in Wisconsin — a decision
Belt state that built a man- cheered for its potential to
ufacturing legacy through transform the state’s econ-
assembly-line jobs will have omy. But many questions
to quickly transition to a remain, including the type
more highly skilled work- of jobs the Taiwan-based
force now that Foxconn electronics giant will offer
has selected Wisconsin as and whether it will follow
the site of its coveted U.S. through on its plans.
electronics plant. The deal calls for finalizing
“This will not be your grand- terms of the agreement —
father’s factory,” said Tom which will require a special
Still, president of the Wis- legislative session to ap-
consin Technology Coun- prove a $3 billion incentive
cil. “This will be a high-tech package — no later than
facility that will attract Sept. 30.
workers of various skill levels Foxconn said its $10 billion
to produce products that factory — at a yet-to-be-
will really define where the determined site in south-
economy is going to go for eastern Wisconsin — will
years to come.” initially bring 3,000 jobs and
Foxconn is best known for eventually employ 13,000
making iPhones and other workers. It would be a sub-
Apple products in China. stantial gain for a state
It entered into a memo- that currently has 472,000