Older Workers in the Manufacturing Sector Table 2 shows the percentage of the manufacturing workforce aged 45 plus and 55 plus within various workforce characteristics, as well as the distribution of the 55 plus workforce by the same characteristics. [...] Increases in the formal education level of the manufacturing sector workforce is in part a function of changes in the education of overall labour supply – that is, higher levels are now attained by the. [...] Chart 4 shows that while the number of paid employees within the manufacturing sector increased by 15% between 1997 and 2003, the number of paid employees with a university degree increased by 49% and the number with a post-secondary certificate or diploma by 21%. [...] The current demographic picture of the manufacturing sector simply underscores the importance and urgency of addressing the sector’s skill requirements.