The Reshoring Initiative, Bringing Manufacturing Back to the U.S.
Guest post by Glenn Marshall
Reshoring U.S. manufacturing both relies on and enhances America’s global competitiveness. President Trump is promoting the ‘golden age for American manufacturing’ plan, which prioritizes domestic production, shipbuilding, and advanced technologies. Aligned with this vision, the ‘Made in America’ initiative seeks to restore industrial capacity while creating better-paying careers.
Harry Moser, Founder and President of the Reshoring Initiative®, is a prominent advocate for U.S. manufacturing. He often appears in major media, holds degrees from MIT and the University of Chicago (MBA), and has been inducted into the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) and Industry Week Halls of Fame as well as other national awards. In 2024, reshoring and FDI trends remained stable as companies prioritized supply chain efficiency. According to the Reshoring Initiative, more firms are choosing domestic production, helped by tools like the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Estimator, which shows offshoring costs are often underestimated by 20–30%. The U.S. Commerce Department recognizes the TCO tool, which is intended to assist businesses of various sizes with sourcing decisions. Reported benefits of domestic production include reduced lead times, potential quality improvements, branding opportunities, tax advantages, lower inventory needs, increased flexibility, and decreased intellectual property and geopolitical risks. Manufacturing and the shipbuilding sectors face challenges related to an aging workforce and a lack of adequate vocational training and apprentice schools. Collaborations between industry and educational institutions can play a vital role in attracting new professionals for these in-demand skills. A benchmark program, the Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) Apprentice School, established in 1919 in Virginia, offers four- to eight-year apprenticeship programs designed to prepare students for careers within the shipbuilding industry. Moser says apprenticeships are essential. He notes that China is forecasting a severe workforce shortage due to demographics and too many students being sent to universities. The U.S. is experiencing a revival of apprenticeship programs and can restore millions of manufacturing jobs by further improving its apprenticeship system. OEMs, responding to the Reshoring Initiative’s 2025 Reshoring Survey, rated a larger and better-trained skilled workforce as the highest priority to drive reshoring, ahead of tariffs, currency, deregulation, and lower tax rates. New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC) is a leading public educational organization in Virginia, known for specialized programs that develop workforce-ready graduates. The Good Life Solution Program matches high school graduates with employers, boasting an 86% retention rate—much higher than the average 21% for high school graduates—demonstrating its effectiveness and potential for replication across the state and nation. During World War II, Liberty ships brought about changes in shipbuilding by introducing standardized components and using welding, prefabrication, and assembly line techniques. Victory ships, which had increased speed and capacity, succeeded Liberty ships, with innovation in shipbuilding declining after their introduction. HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding has constructed all the nuclear-powered U.S. Navy carriers. USS Enterprise (CVN 80), the Ford-class carrier currently being built at Newport News, is the first carrier to be completely designed and built digitally. Shipbuilders are using tablets and 3D renderings instead of paper drawings for faster access to information and virtual training. Reshoring manufacturing and investing in the maritime infrastructure will enhance the economy and defense capabilities and generate new, good-paying careers. A skilled career-ready workforce combined with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is key to accelerating this trend. Glenn Marshall is a member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) Southeast board of directors for 13 states, the Reshoring Initiative, and a career pathways volunteer for Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) (retired). Email him at marsh8279@aol.com.- - -
