The Next U.S. Manufacturing Super-Cycle: Why 2026–2030 Could Be Historic
Written by Richard Ashworth-Lord, Senior Manager specialising in clean energy manufacturing.
If you want a single picture of what’s coming, look at where the cranes are. U.S. manufacturing construction is running at historically high levels, with spending at roughly $223 billion as of July 2025, more than double pre-2021 norms. It signals the scale of factories now breaking ground across semiconductors, batteries, EVs, and clean tech.
A live tracker of megaprojects (those over $1 billion) shows 46 major facilities announced or underway, totalling around $560 billion in capital investment and more than 165,000 on-site jobs once operational. The biggest waves are in chips, automotive, and battery supply chains, with growing activity across solar, metals, and advanced materials. This isn’t speculative, many of these projects are already pouring concrete.
Clean-economy investment has become a structural pillar of U.S. private investment. In Q1 2025 alone, clean energy and transport attracted $67 billion, continuing a multi-year upward trend that underpins sustained hiring across engineering, construction, commissioning, operations, and maintenance.
While current manufacturing employment sits at around 12.7 million (slightly below last year), that headline doesn’t tell the full story. There’s a natural lag between the surge in construction and the eventual operational workforce. The inflection point will come as fabs, gigafactories, and component plants move from build to ramp through 2026–2028.
Where the jobs will cluster:
Semiconductors: Mega-fabs and supplier parks will drive demand for technicians, process engineers, tool install specialists, and facilities teams.
Batteries and EV supply chains: Cell, module, and recycling plants will require production supervisors, quality, EHS, maintenance, and automation talent.
Clean energy manufacturing: From solar components to grid hardware, new lines will create ongoing technical roles while sustaining construction trades through multi-year programmes.
Signals to watch:
Construction spend staying elevated: As long as manufacturing construction remains near record levels, capacity, and future hiring are still being added.
Project milestones: Hiring typically accelerates as projects move from tool installation to initial production.
Supply-chain localisation: Domestic suppliers for wafers, chemicals, cathode materials, and power electronics are multiplying, creating additional job layers.
What this means for talent leaders:
Start early: Critical hires for ramp phases are scarce, and lead times for automation or process roles can be 3–9 months.
Prioritise adjacency: Aerospace, pharma, petrochemical, and data-centre operations are proven sources of transferable skills.
Invest in training: Partnerships with colleges and veterans’ programmes will be essential for building technician and shift-lead pipelines.
Retention by design: Rotating shifts, cross-training, and clear progression pathways will help maintain workforce stability post-ramp.
Despite short-term softening in overall employment, the capital already committed points to a once-in-a-generation expansion in U.S. industrial capacity. Those planning their workforce strategies around the last cycle risk missing the next one entirely.
The message is clear, the time to build your hiring and skills strategy is before commissioning, not after first product.
Richard Ashworth-Lord is a Senior Manager at Brightsmith, based in New York City and specialising in clean energy manufacturing. He works closely with leading organisations across the sector to deliver the talent needed to scale next-generation manufacturing projects. With expertise spanning advanced production processes, supply chain strategies, and technology deployment, Richard helps build the teams driving industrial innovation at the heart of the energy transition.
