The Skilled Trades Gap in Print & Packaging: Why Finding Operators Is Getting Harder — and What Companies Must Do

We’re on the front lines with digital, offset, flexo, carton, labels, and specialty converting shops, and the shift is seismic. The skilled-trades gap has moved from a hiring headache to a business-critical constraint. 95% of end businesses can’t hire the operators and technicians they need, and nearly 60% say it’s getting tougher and faster-moving. The workforce shrank 73% from 112,300 in 2006 to 30,500 in 2021. In 2025, top operators are off the market in 10–14 days—your window to act is short.

What Changed: Three Forces You Must Account For

Operational Impact You’re Feeling Now

• Under-utilized equipment because the right operators aren’t on the shift.

• Quality hinges on individual expertise; turnover spikes waste and colour drift.

• Growth delayed: new presses sit idle, extra shifts can’t be staffed, POs are declined.

  
  

What You Must Do Now

The Path Forward

Partner with technical schools and community colleges, stand up structured apprenticeships, and align with specialized recruiters who live inside print and packaging. Move beyond reactive backfilling to a repeatable talent system that protects throughput and margin.

Ready to stabilize your staffing pipeline and accelerate growth now? Bridge Atlas Solutions specializes in recruiting across operations, production, sales/marketing, and leadership in print and packaging. We understand the urgency, we know the market, and we’ve built a process that consistently delivers the operators your business needs to thrive.