Made in America? Not So Fast.

Back in 2017, Dave Chapelle joked, "I want to wear Nikes, I don't want to make them."

With President Trump pushing tariffs and pledging to bring back U.S. manufacturing jobs, it begs the question: could that happen?

Politicians love to romanticize factory work, but are these jobs really coming back, and what would they look like? Keep reading to find out 👇

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On paper, the government is all in on manufacturing.

Tariffs and tax breaks are sold as a way to bring jobs back, and factory openings make great campaign fodder.

But here’s the thing:

• State programs that are trying to grow local manufacturing are being undercut by federal decisions.

• Some companies respond to tariffs by automating more, raising prices, or just moving operations elsewhere.

And despite all the talk, there’s no unified plan to make these jobs truly sustainable or desirable for workers.

Do People Even Want These Jobs?

While 80% of Americans say we’d be better off with more people in manufacturing, only 25% actually want to do the work themselves. Why?

Many factory jobs today require mandatory overtime, aren’t unionized, and sometimes pay less than service jobs. For example, this post below compared two jobs in Tennessee: a Car Wash Attendant at Buc-ee’s paying $21/hour, and an Automotive Parts Sorting Technician at Nissan paying between $18-$20/hour.

Which would you choose?

Manufacturing jobs don’t just lack glitz and glamour, they often lack the benefits and good pay that workers would expect to receive in exchange for their labor.

Plus, there’s a culture shift at play. These jobs have been historically “masculine-coded,” but younger generations are more likely to seek flexible, non-physical, or service-oriented work.

Let’s be honest—if your grandpa could skip the factory floor for a job with AC and email, he might’ve taken it, too.

What Would It Take to Bring Back Factory Jobs?

It’s not just about tariffs or tax breaks. Experts say we need a bigger picture strategy:

• Modern training programs so workers can step into high-tech roles

• Infrastructure upgrades (roads, power, broadband—you name it)

• Smarter trade policies, not just blanket tariffs

• More funding for innovation, to stay competitive

• Local manufacturing hubs to rebuild supply chains regionally

The manufacturing roles that do exist today are very different from the jobs politicians love to romanticize. Some can’t be easily automated (yet), like maintenance technicians, HVAC specialists, and robotics repair roles. But even these jobs require investment in training and a willingness from workers to take them on.

So What’s Next?

If you’re job-hunting and don’t want a traditional desk job, manufacturing could be a solid path, especially for those without a four-year degree. But the road ahead is complicated.

Modern factory jobs aren’t the golden tickets they once were, and the manufacturing revival everyone keeps talking about? It’ll take more than slogans and tariffs to shift how we invest in workers and value blue-collar labor.

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Stay tuned for our next edition, where we’ll dive into even more career-boosting insights and salary data! See you next week! 📩