Manufactuing offers the ability for those without skills and education to earn a reasonable salary. Well, you can thank your government for taking the ability of unskilled workers to earn a living, by having a minimum wage.
However, having less unskilled labor jobs will motivate those unskilled workers to become skilled and get educated, thus raising our standards.
1) Becoming skilled / educated requires time and money and is often done over a couple of generations within a family. Doing "grunt" work, working overtime and learning a trade while you work is a viable means for upward mobility.
2) The minimum wage has little impact on manufacturing. Starting salaries are normally well above established minimums.