It’s no secret that the manufacturing industry has a workforce problem. Despite continued growth in the sector, attracting and retaining the right workers is a concern that keeps many executives up at night. A recent report predicts that the manufacturing industry will need as many as 3.8 million new workers by 2033, but 1.9 million of those jobs could go unfilled. To combat this issue, manufacturers, industry organizations, and government officials at all levels are investing in education and training opportunities across the country. Here are a few examples of how industrial stakeholders are coming together to inspire, educate, and train the next generation of manufacturing workers.
Michigan has partnered with the U.S. Navy to create the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing (M3) Initiative, which is designed to build the workforce pipeline needed for the defense manufacturing sector. The $50 million program hopes to inspire K-12 students to pursue a career in maritime manufacturing, particularly welding and machining. In a recent quote, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said, “As we invest in training the next generation of workers, we send a clear message to manufacturers across the nation: come to Michigan. Here, we make stuff—whether it’s ships, semiconductor chips, or potato chips. We have the grit and know-how to produce anything America needs.”
Learn more
Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) has opened its new Advanced Manufacturing Academy on its Belleville campus. The college hopes that this new program will supply the regional manufacturing industry with a sustainable source of skilled workers. In a recent quote, Governor JB Pritzker said, “I chose to come to SWIC because of your successes, to demonstrate my own intent to put community colleges at the forefront of our economic revitalization of the state. SWIC and other community colleges are the dynamic institutions that are capable of building the workforce of the future, creating opportunities for hardworking Illinoisans, and maximizing economic growth potential for the entire state and particularly for this region.”
Learn more
SPEE3D will locate its first U.S.-based manufacturing and applications site at the University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center. The company, which specializes in metal 3D printing technology, selected UNH because of its “robust resources, state-of-the-art facilities and talented pool of researchers and students.” In a recent quote, Byron Kennedy, CEO at SPEE3D, said, "Establishing our first U.S.-based location at the Olson Center brings together a world-class manufacturing center at UNH with SPEE3D's leading cold spray additive manufacturing technology to a region known for its innovation and advancements. Although we are an Australian company, we have partners worldwide and a strong presence in America, so it made perfect sense to expand our footprint to address the needs of our partners.”
Learn more
The Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE) at The University of Texas at Austin has been selected by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) to engineer semiconductor microsystems for the Department of Defense. DARPA will invest $840 million into the project, which will be used to establish a national open access R&D and prototyping fabrication facility that creates microsystem designs that are enabled by 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI). In a recent quote, Kevin Eltife, chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, said, “This partnership will allow UT Austin faculty, staff and students to bolster our national defense and further demonstrate the University’s global leadership in technology-related teaching and research. We are grateful for the Legislature’s strong support of the Texas Institute for Electronics as it continues to feed the Texas economy and create unrivaled opportunities for Longhorns to change the world.”
Learn more
The winners of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce have been announced. The round one winners, Louisiana First Solar Force and Training in Solar Manufacturing, will receive up to $500,000 each to establish their plans to help improve workforce training in the solar manufacturing industry. In a recent quote, Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said, "The solar industry is thriving, spurring job growth and increasing the demand for skilled workers. We’re excited to support these prize winners with funding for workforce training partnerships that foster inclusion and create new pathways to good paying jobs and careers in clean energy."
Learn more