What’s Inside

“While reshoring sentiment may be on the rise, a firm’s willingness and ability to act are constrained by the issue this paper highlights: a profound and persistent labor skills gap.”

A complex combination of factors is driving U.S. companies to consider reshoring manufacturing. While automation and government incentives fuel this movement, an often-overlooked barrier remains: the shortage of qualified supply chain talent.

Considering modern-day supply chain workforce management, companies that reshore will face critical skills gaps not only in advanced manufacturing and data analytics but in essential capabilities like leadership and critical thinking.

Drawing on survey data and interviews with supply chain leaders and experts, this white paper details which skills are in the highest demand as well as how companies plan to develop their workforce to meet these needs. Leaders from companies that have experienced reshoring emphasized the urgency of developing advanced manufacturing, engineering, and lean management skills, while those preparing to reshore identified a need to improve foundational manufacturing capabilities and strategic leadership.

Ultimately, reshoring success depends on a coordinated approach to supply chain workforce development, blending technical training, executive education, and partnerships with institutions like the University of Tennessee, to close the supply chain talent gap.

This white paper serves as a roadmap for supply chain leaders to address the reshoring skills talent gap and as “a guide for navigating the increasingly volatile terrain of global trade and industrial transformation.”

Download to explore:

• Reshoring trends and supply chain labor challenges
• Data on critical supply chain workforce and skills gaps  
• Insights on reshoring readiness from experts
• Recommendations for how supply chain leaders can fill skills gaps 
• Special considerations for small and mid-sized businesses   
• Resources to support reshoring and supply chain talent development 

For more in-depth, industry-focused white papers from the Global Supply Chain Institute (GSCI) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, visit this web page. Recent papers produced by the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative, an initiative of GSCI, engage industry experts and UT faculty to explore and report on advanced concepts in supply chain management and innovation, including supply chain agility, last-mile and reverse logistics, and more.

Who This White Paper is Primarily For: Supply Chain Managers, Supply Chain Planners, Corporate CEOs, Supply Chain Professionals, Chief Supply Chain Officers, Chief Procurement Officers, Supply Chain Leaders, and Supply Chain Students.