INDIANAPOLIS – Congressman Rokita praised advanced manufacturing jobs by disparaging “dead-end jobs” at a Noble County campaign stop, but failed to make clear which manufacturing jobs he believes are “dead end.”

At a campaign stop Monday at a steel manufacturing company in Avilla, Congressman Rokita said that the advanced manufacturing positions aren’t “dead-end jobs,” which the article itself contrasted with “many industrial jobs [that] are held by members of the older generation.”

Advanced manufacturing jobs are crucial for a 21st Century economy in Indiana, but they’re far from the only industrial jobs driving Indiana’s economy. Despite being considered traditional manufacturing, Indiana had a total of more than 420,000 jobs in the automotive industry, and the fourth-most jobs for automotive parts manufacturing of any state. As of 2013, Indiana was the second biggest state by GDP in automotive production.

“Hardworking Hoosiers can agree on the need for more advanced manufacturing jobs without a career politician like Congressman Rokita telling them that their job is a ‘dead end,’” said Michael Feldman, spokesman for the Indiana Democratic Party. “Hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers work in automotive and other traditional manufacturing jobs, and countless more have taken additional work to make sure their families have food on the table every night. Are these people working in the ‘dead-end jobs’ that Congressman Rokita refers to?”

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