Indiana has lost nearly 8,000 manufacturing jobs through November this year. And some economists say that’s a bad sign for the overall economy.
But state leaders say they’re not worried about those numbers.
Indiana hasn’t lost more manufacturing jobs than it added over a calendar year since 2009, the height of the recession. But it’s on track to do just that this year.
Still, Speaker of the House-elect Todd Huston (R-Fishers) says legislative leaders aren’t sounding the alarm.
“As I go talk to employers, frankly the biggest challenge so many of them need is more people," Huston says. "But we’re certainly paying attention to the manufacturing space because, as the end of the day, it’s such a driver for the Indiana economy.”
Gov. Eric Holcomb says the numbers don’t tell what he sees as the real story – a changing economy.
“Older manufacturing jobs are becoming advanced manufacturing jobs … but also where we’re excelling is we’re attracting more life sciences and more high tech, more IT jobs,” Holcomb says.
Indiana remains one of the states most reliant on manufacturing jobs.
Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.
