America is facing a shortage of skilled factory workers

Factories now require employees with a higher skill set.

(Image credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Openings for manufacturing jobs have averaged 353,000 a month this year, up from 311,000 a month last year, The Wall Street Journal reports. That's the highest level in 15 years.

Many employers say they're having a difficult time finding workers with the skills needed to fill today's increasingly technology-focused manufacturing roles. Globalized outsourcing and investment in more advanced machinery together have erased many lower-skilled positions from America's manufacturing sector, and the remaining jobs now require more complex skill sets or higher educational attainment — an "upskilling" trend that holds across most industries, not just manufacturing.