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INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana's manufacturers believe an effective way to make up for workforce shortages is to invest more in automation.

That's according to the 2017 Manufacturing Survey: Upgrading for Growth released Wednesday and presented during the Indiana Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame luncheon in Indianapolis.

"The skills gap and workforce issues, this is what people always talk about," said Mark Frohlich, co-author of the survey report and faculty member of Indiana University's Kelley School of Business on the IUPUI campus. "Now more emphasis is being placed on automation."

What's driving this, according to the survey, is manufacturers' inability to shore up their ranks with young people as well as a lack of individuals now seeking work with the necessary technical skills.

According to the survey, continued investment in automation and better technology is driving the need for workers with even more computer and other technical skills. This means as manufacturing processes become more dependent on technology, there will be growth in advanced manufacturing jobs and a decline in unskilled positions.