The initial qualifications expected of the typical manufacturing worker: has high school diploma or GED, passes piss test, and can handle 8 hours of 'put nut A

The initial qualifications expected of the typical manufacturing worker: has high school diploma or GED, passes piss test, and can handle 8 hours of 'put nut A on bolt B', and will be trained on the job. The typical qualifications expected of an IT worker are more like: BA in related field or additional 4 years work experience, passes background check, might have collected industry certificates, will have a 'manager' but won't keep job if individual 'needs to be managed', and will self-train on evenings/weekends. Unlike manufacturing, not every high school graduate with clean urine can get an entry level job in IT. That assessment is from years knowing auto industry workers in the Midwest and aerospace industry workers in the Pacific Northwest - friends and family in both, and 20 years of my own work in IT.