Skilled machinists are retiring faster than shops can replace them. The U S Bureau of Labor Statistics projects almost no net growth in machinist employment from 2023 to 2033, yet about 35,400 openings will appear every year as veterans exit the trade. Meanwhile 75% of employers worldwide say they cannot find the people they need – the highest level on record – according to ManpowerGroup’s 2024 Talent Shortage study.

Solving this crunch takes more than posting on job boards: you need a plan that combines data, culture and the right technology.

Quantify the hiring gap

Start with numbers, not anecdotes. List each role where labour is limiting throughput – for example 5-axis programming, first-article inspection or weekend setups – then track:

• jobs delayed (hours per month)
• revenue at risk (quoting backlog or missed ship dates)
• overtime paid to cover the gap

Turning frustration into metrics helps justify budget for training, wages or new software.

Strengthen your talent pipeline

Traditional four-year apprenticeships are too slow for many shops, but you can co-build 18-24 month “machinist 2.0” programs with local colleges. Pair classroom theory with deliberate practice on progressively harder parts:

1. Foundational manual skills (saws, drills, measurement)
2. Two-axis lathe and three-axis mill setup
3. Basic CAM and verification
4. Multi-axis programming and probing

Tie incremental wage bumps to each milestone so learners see a clear path. Where public funding allows, reimburse tuition on completion to reduce drop-outs.

Recruit before you need headcount

• Sponsor robotics teams and trade-school competitions – your logo on scoreboards plants a seed long before graduation.
• Offer paid summer internships to juniors so they can return full-time after school.
• Hold quarterly open houses that let parents and students handle finished aerospace parts and see spotless cells in action.

Amplify senior expertise with AI

Programming is a force-multiplier skill – one expert bottleneck slows multiple machines. That bottleneck shrinks dramatically when the expert works with CAM Assist.

“I used to spend 45-60 minutes hand-programming a typical 3-axis part. With CAM Assist I can generate toolpaths in 5-10 minutes and move straight to verification.” – Total Manufacturing Solutions case study

Because CAM Assist accelerates routine toolpath creation, one senior can prepare more jobs per week while:

• reviewing junior code instead of writing every path
• coaching operators on fixture strategy
• tackling complex 5-axis work that drives margin

The result is headcount “stretch” without lowering quality.

Make your shop a place people choose

Pay must be competitive, but culture closes the deal. In Modern Machine Shop’s profile of Machineosaurus, a Massachusetts job shop that named every CNC after a dinosaur, the company switched to a four-day, 10-hour shift pattern and saw a spike in applicants. Borrow ideas that fit your operation:

• Climate-controlled cells and bright LED lighting
• Fresh-ground coffee and clean break areas
• Option of four-day weeks or split shifts for parents
• Regular skills audits that trigger funded training, not blame

Share wins on LinkedIn: a picture of a new apprentice qualifying a part or a video of CAM Assist cutting hours from programming. Social proof matters to Gen Z candidates researching employers.

Optimise your job ads for machinists

• Lead with “CNC programmer – four-day week, modern cells, training paid”
• List the controls, CAM packages and machine types so candidates can self-qualify
• Promise structured progression: “Review at six months, wage rise tied to skill level assessment”
• Mention CAM Assist and other advanced tools to signal that programming is high-tech, not drudgery

Post on manufacturing-focused boards like Practical Machinist and join regional Facebook/LinkedIn groups where machinists trade tips and job leads.

FAQ

Why is it hard to hire machinists?

Retirements outweigh entrants, and manufacturing’s image among young people lags behind careers marketed as “tech”.

How can AI help small CNC shops with staffing?

AI accelerates programming and setup tasks so existing staff cover more jobs and juniors learn faster by studying AI-generated best-practice toolpaths.

Is CAM Assist only for large companies?

No. CAM Assist plugs into Fusion, Mastercam and NX. Many two- to five-machine shops use it to stay competitive without adding programmers.

Call to action

Hiring challenges will persist, but you can do more with the crew you have right now. Book a 15-minute CAM Assist demo to see how one programmer can support more machines while mentoring the next generation.

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