In recent years, there has been a huge shift in the proportion of factory workers and management at Boeing in line with the global initiative of “Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion” (DEI). With a series of recent issues surrounding Boeing aircraft, the largest American aircraft manufacturer is facing serious production, quality, and safety challenges.
As public travel resumes, the demand for new aircraft from airlines continues to rise. Boeing has been actively recruiting new employees in an effort to replenish the significant loss of experienced senior staff and increase production.
On Monday, The Wall Street Journal interviewed a new recruit at Boeing, perhaps shifting the public perception of the aerospace manufacturing industry from being “out of reach”. Similar to many McDonald’s restaurants, a sign outside Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington reads “We are hiring”.
In their recruitment ads, Boeing requires applicants to have a basic understanding of using handheld power tools and at least one year of work experience in aerospace or similar fields such as automotive or robotics. The job involves climbing, balancing, squatting, and long exposure to continuous noise in confined spaces. The salary ranges from $24.50 to $43.74 per hour.
Last year, 45-year-old Daniel Horine was hired by Boeing after just a month of applying, and he is currently assisting in preparing for the production of Boeing’s new 777X jet. He admitted feeling unprepared for the challenges ahead, stating, “This isn’t like driving a car that can only carry one or two people. We know that if we mess up, it could destroy an entire aircraft.”
Horine, who enjoys car repair in his spare time, has honed his mechanical skills throughout his life. Despite his familiarity with various types of wrenches, he found the tools and tasks during training overwhelming.
He mentioned spending a whole day to understand the meaning of torque and two weeks to learn riveting. By the end of training, Horine felt ready for the job.
The newly recruited Boeing employees come from diverse occupational backgrounds, many lacking direct experience in aircraft manufacturing. Horine, a former foundry worker, is among the hundreds of new employees learning about aircraft production, including a cybersecurity expert and a former Starbucks trainer.
Training for these new employees, including working under supervision, lasts about six months to learn how to manufacture aircraft.
Last year, in the Puget Sound region alone, Boeing was hiring an average of 800 factory workers per month. While the recruitment pace has slowed down, the company still hires hundreds of new employees each month.
Boeing executives acknowledged that this environment has led to quality issues, and the company is working to address these problems. In January of this year, an Alaska Airlines plane experienced an incident where a piece of the fuselage fell off during flight.
Boeing has faced criticism for prioritizing the promotion of “Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion” (DEI) over quality issues.
Sara Bowen, Boeing’s Vice President of Global DEI, proudly announced in a 2023 report on “Global Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion” that the percentage of minorities at Boeing had reached 35.3%, a 4-point increase from 2020 and 3 points higher than the industry average.
However, experts argue that promoting DEI does not guarantee benefits for companies.
A study published by professors Jeremiah Green from Texas A&M University and John R. M. Hand from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in the Econ Journal Watch revealed that statistically, companies focusing on diversity do not show significant advantages.
They pointed out that the popular belief that “diversity necessarily yields profits” is a fallacy.
Though there is no direct evidence linking “diversity” to quality issues in Boeing’s products, DEI and actual equality actions often occur concurrently, potentially leading to the hiring and promotion of less qualified individuals who meet diversity criteria.
Critics have pointed out that while Boeing promotes DEI, the company has not focused on hiring the best talent to enhance quality or established a robust quality control system.
Aviation travel was one of the earliest and slowest industries to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The work stoppages during the pandemic led many companies, including Boeing, to streamline their staff through early retirement buyout plans, resulting in a higher proportion of senior employees in layoffs.
The U.S. labor market has regained the 22 million job losses seen early in the pandemic. In an industry like Boeing’s machinery manufacturing heavily reliant on experience, many of the new recruits lack experience, placing the task of training them on the few senior staff, leading to a decrease in labor productivity in recent years.
According to The Wall Street Journal, about half of Boeing’s over 30,000 employees have less than six years of work experience. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 751, representing these employees, stated that this proportion has doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Ben Armstrong, Executive Director of the MIT Industrial Performance Center, raised the question, “How do we pass on this knowledge, gained through experience, to the next generation of workers?”
Manufacturing aircraft and aircraft components differs significantly from making toys, electronics, or even cars, requiring a deep understanding of the machinery. A worker on the aircraft assembly line may be responsible for dozens of stations, and each must be flawlessly executed.
Another reason for Boeing’s crisis stems from its core suppliers. Over the years, Spirit AeroSystems, which produces components, has experienced frequent malfunctions, leading to production stoppages at Boeing and delayed aircraft deliveries to airlines.
Nearly 20 years ago, Boeing divested its factory in Wichita, Kansas, to a private equity firm in pursuit of the vision of becoming a “large system integrator.”
Today, 20 years later, Boeing suggests that reintegrating Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems’ manufacturing operations may enhance aviation safety, improve aircraft quality, and better serve the interests of customers, employees, and shareholders.
However, Boeing does not yet guarantee it can reach an agreement with Spirit AeroSystems.