Industry Leaders Shed Light on Next-Generation Skills at Manufacturing Symposium
WASHINGTON, D.C., WASHINGTON, 07/11/17 –
Manufacturers committed to training partnerships and new models to grow their workforce came together today at Manufacturing Workforce 4.0, a symposium on skills for the new economy hosted by The Manufacturing Institute. Influential manufacturing executives and thought leaders on the workplace revolution highlighted apprenticeship models, recruitment strategies and education models that are raising skill levels and putting Americans to work in manufacturing.
Speakers included Wes Bush, CEO of Northrop Grumman, and Brian Krinock, senior vice president of Vehicle Plants at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America. Both companies have undergone rapid technological change and prioritize education partnerships leading into manufacturing careers.
At the event, the Institute released a new report, Training to Win, that covers trends that are remaking the manufacturing workforce and addresses talent solutions for the new economy.
Over the next decade, nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs likely need to be filled, and the skills gap is expected to result in 2 million of those jobs going unfilled. The report outlines principles for closing that gap, including the need for modern, flexible apprenticeship and on-the-job training models and streamlined education paths that allow more people to earn industry credentials that are in demand for manufacturing.
“Today’s conversation couldn’t be more important—for our communities and for our country. This is manufacturing’s moment and building a modern manufacturing workforce is among our industry’s most pressing challenges. The Manufacturing Institute continues to lead the way as we share best practices, address the perceptions of manufacturing and convene innovative business leaders who are rising to the challenge of charting new frontiers for our sector,” said Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers.
“Acoss America, talented men and women on shopfloors, in labs and in offices are moving our industry into the future. But we need more of that talent. We need more people eager to seize these well-paying, skilled jobs,” said Carolyn Lee, executive director, The Manufacturing Institute. “We have seen companies want to learn from one another, and today’s symposium focused on solutions that are working for manufacturers of all sizes.”
The event, which took place at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., was sponsored by Arconic Foundation, ACT, Amatrol, MSSC, NIST, 180Skills, and NC3.
Click here to read the full Training to Win report.
-About the MI-
The Manufacturing Institute is the social impact arm of the National Association of Manufacturers. We drive programs and research to promote modern manufacturing and jumpstart new approaches to growing manufacturing talent. For more information, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.
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