October 28, 2024 By Dr. Deb VolzerStrategic Partnerships Director, Workforce Development I am thrilled to share the progress and milestones our growing team has accomplished. Our mission is to support community colleges in developing a robust manufacturing workforce by aligning educational programs with industry needs. Over the past year, we’ve made significant strides in key areas, including sector strategy development, engagement insights, and industry-driven hiring initiatives. Since launching this imperative, we have onboarded and developed strategic plans for all 25 colleges involved. From our first kick-off meeting in October 2023 to now, our team has grown from two to nine dedicated members. I’m proud to introduce our exceptional SME Manufacturing Imperative – Workforce Pipeline Challenge (MI-WPC) team: Myself, Governments and Workforce Partnerships and MI-WPC Leader Rich Brewer (Program Manager, Demographics and Engagement Study) Elizabeth Hibner (Program Manager, Community Involvement Study) Allyssa Johnson (Program Manager, Grants and Federal Initiatives) Jacob Johnson (Program Manager, Small to Medium-Sized Industry Partner Engagement Study) Chris Ilcin (SME Marketing Support) Cara Pattison (MI-WPC Program Manager) Ashley Powell (Project Manager, SME MI-WPC) Cullen Smith (Project Manager, Research) Looking ahead, our next step is to provide the resources and guidance necessary to help our 25 partner colleges achieve their ambitious goal of adding 1,000 net new students per year for the next three years in manufacturing education and STEM programs. One of our primary goals has been to foster meaningful collaboration between community colleges and industry. By utilizing four targeted sector strategy insights, we’ve worked closely with our colleges across the nation to identify the specific needs of local manufacturers and align academic offerings accordingly. This has enhanced the relevance of educational programs and positioned colleges as critical partners in regional economic growth. An upcoming major focus of our efforts is promoting dual enrollment programs via manufacturing career pathways, allowing high school students to earn industry-recognized credentials such as the Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMFGA), Robotics in Manufacturing Fundamentals (RMF), Electric Vehicle Fundamentals (EVF) and Electric Vehicle Battery Packaging and Assembly (EVBPA). These programs give students early exposure to manufacturing careers while helping colleges establish a future talent pipeline. In addition to developing a manufacturing K-12 pipeline, through this program we are offering resources to identify additional target populations to the college. With access to additional data and communication tools, the colleges will be able to enhance their current outreach strategies with the support of manufacturing-specific marketing. These resources can strengthen the talent pipeline in each community to better meet the needs of manufacturers while increasing economic mobility for historically resilient populations. As we move forward, we remain committed to deepening our partnerships with both colleges and manufacturers, expanding access to workforce education for all communities, and scaling our successful initiatives. Together, we are shaping the future of manufacturing education and workforce development. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our community college administrators, stakeholders, and partners at the Blue Forge Alliance and the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers. Your unwavering dedication, collaboration, and efforts are essential to ensuring that our initiatives reach their full potential and that students gain the skills they need. Thank you for your continued support as we work toward building a stronger, more inclusive manufacturing workforce.
