New York CNN Business —US factories are humming, and manufacturers are scrambling to find workers as the pace of hiring hits levels not seen in decades. Experts say one of the biggest problems manufacturers face in attracting workers is their perception of the nature of the job. Manufacturing remains a male-dominated industry, with only 30% of hourly factory jobs held by women, according to NAM. Today less than 10% of private sector jobs are in manufacturing, compared to more than 40% at the end of World War II. The Labor Department reports the average weekly wage for manufacturing jobs is $1,250, or $65,000 annually — 11% more than private sector jobs overall, and 81% more than retail jobs.

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