The engineering jobs already exist. Factory automation has been a big business for decades (Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Mitsubishi and others). They generall

The engineering jobs already exist. Factory automation has been a big business for decades (Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Mitsubishi and others). They generally aren't high paying compared to Silicon Valley software engineers, but pay more than civil engineers. Automation will continue, but labor will probably never be completely replaced within our lifetimes. I think it makes sense to have factories and make physical goods in the US. It is easier to bring hardware to market when the production is in the same timezone. I think it leads to a more robust economy even if there is heavy automation. There are still ancillary jobs associated with factories.