US manufacturers are facing a severe lack of qualified workers, despite the nation's spiralling unemployment level.

This is the conclusion of a new survey from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, which claimed manufacturing firms currently have up to 600,000 skilled positions they cannot fill.

According to Emily DeRocco, president of The Manufacturing Institute, the absence of qualified candidates means companies are struggling to fill openings for machinists, operators, distributors, technicians and other roles.

"The survey shows that 67 percent of manufacturers have a moderate to severe shortage of available, qualified workers," added Craig Giffi, vice chairman and consumer and industrial products industry leader at Deloitte.

He said the "future effectiveness of the American manufacturing industry" is under threat from this talent shortage, which many employers believe will increase over the next three to five years.

The unemployment rate held at 9.1 percent in September, according to data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics earlier this month.