Industry Week recently wrote about the new, greener face of the revitalized U.S. automotive industry—and the innovative manufacturing skills that will be necessary to keep this industry afloat:

“As the auto industry ramps up production of electric vehicles and shifts toward advanced-technology powertrains and lightweight materials, a new type of job description is emerging -- and that presents a challenge for the automakers and autoworkers.”

Though there are thousands of Americans with manufacturing experience who are looking for jobs, automotive companies are having a difficult time finding workers with the niche skills required for these new technology-focused positions.

During the Center for Automotive Research's (CAR) recent "Driving Change: Greening the Automotive Workforce" auto industry executives discussed this troubling skills gap.  As Nancy Gioia, Ford Motor Co.'s director of global electrification put it, "Electric vehicles are an enormous growth area...and there is a shortage of people with the right skill set."  And according to Bob Storc, senior manager of advanced development for Magna E-Car Systems, the auto industry is filled with "armies" of people with traditional skill sets-- but not with the skills necessary to develop the cars of the future:

“For example, battery development requires ‘experts in electrochemistry, and people who understand the storage and release of large amounts of energy.  This isn't a skill set that's common in the industry today. It just isn't there. We have armies of fuel people, but not armies of electrochemistry people."

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