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.
Elgin Community College (ECC) in Illinois has begun construction on its new two-story, 150,000-square-foot Manufacturing and Technology Center (MTC). The $85 million facility is designed to provide expanded programs in manufacturing, technology, and other critical fields. The center will be operational in 2026. In a recent quote, Peggy Heinrich, ECC interim president, said, “We want to serve as a resource and pipeline, ensuring that manufacturers in our district have a trained workforce. We also want to ensure that we are providing an affordable education and that we get our district’s residents working good jobs quickly. Our mission is to improve people’s lives through learning, and that’s what we’re going to do in this facility.”
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The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $400,000 in grants to three professors at Auburn University in Alabama. The three recipients are Tom Devall, lab director, Jorge Valenzuela, Philpott-WestPoint Stevens Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Chihhsuan Wang, professor in the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology. The funding will be used to enhance lean manufacturing education and expand access to experiential training beyond campus to the Tiger Motors Lab. In a recent quote, Tom Devall said, “We know we’ve got something special in that lab. I have conducted research that shows the lab’s impact on students helps them perform better. It’s more effective than classroom lectures alone, so we wanted to make this experience available to distance learners.”
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The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Integration Center (AMIIC), a subsidiary of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). As part of the agreement, UAH students will have the ability to use AMIIC laboratory space and advanced manufacturing equipment, which is especially helpful to students enrolled in UAH’s Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology (BSET) program. In a recent quote, Dr. David A. Puleo, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at UAH, said, “UAH is focused on innovating its curriculum to prepare students for the realities and challenges of the future. This partnership will ensure that our students are trained in the latest technologies even before they graduate, giving them an advantage as they pursue careers in highly sought-after fields, such as applied engineering and advanced manufacturing.”
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The University of Akron (UA) in Ohio has officially opened the Timken Foundation Center for Precision Manufacturing (CPM), which was made possible by a $3 million grant from The Timken Foundation of Canton. The 15,800-square-foot space, which features an open bay area, classrooms, offices, and modern engineering equipment, is designed to help industry members address their various research and workforce needs through collaborative research, technological innovations, and workforce training. In a recent quote, Dr. Ajay Mahajan, associate dean for research and industrial engagement for UA’s College of Engineering and Polymer Science, said, “Thanks to the Timken Foundation’s financial support, we can provide a single space for research and student education, while contributing to workforce development for the manufacturing industry.”
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Starting in the fall of 2025, LaGrange College in Georgia will begin offering a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering technology. The new program, which was created after speaking with manufactures and community leaders, will focus on engineering roles outside of research. In a recent quote, Dr. Brian Peterson, vice president for academic affairs, said, “Students who pursue this degree will be trained to address engineering issues that are vital to keeping production flowing in the region’s manufacturing facilities. Those who see themselves working as a hands-on problem-solver are a good fit for this degree.”
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