Manufacturing employment in Pennsylvania was at its strongest in about a decade in March 2019, at about 577,200, up about 3% since January 2017 and 1% higher than an earlier high in 2014. It held near that level through the following year, prior to a sharp dip in the months following the coronavirus shutdown.
The outlook for manufacturing employment in the state has been seen as a key voter concern since falling 15% after the 2008 recession.