Workforce and Education

“Fix it now.” If yesterday’s Port of Los Angeles virtual press conference had a single message, that was it.

NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons joined Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka for a question-and-answer session on the manufacturing supply chain and “Competing to Win,” the NAM’s agenda for bolstering manufacturing competitiveness.

Labor uncertainty: Timmons acknowledged the positive steps taken by leadership of the Port of LA over the past 12 months to improve the flow of goods, but he noted that workforce concerns continue to create supply chain uncertainty across shipping modes.

• “One of the biggest issues slowing down our domestic supply chains is the labor uncertainty tied to critical infrastructure,” Timmons said. “For example, there was the real danger of a crippling rail shutdown last month. The NAM supported the administration’s efforts to reach an agreement to avert this, but negotiations are still ongoing, and there’s a deadline next month on Nov. 19.”
• The solution, Timmons said, lies with policymakers and industry, who “have to be vigilant about putting out these sparks before they turn into fires.”

Taxes: Timmons also discussed the need for a more favorable tax code, which plays a major role in the ability of manufacturers in the U.S. to compete, he said.

• “For example, a longstanding deduction for full and immediate expensing of research and development expenses is being phased out,” Timmons said. “Businesses will now have to amortize their R&D expenses over a number of years; that’s a huge disincentive that makes it costlier to conduct R&D within the U.S.—not to mention a potentially huge tax hike for small and medium-sized manufacturers at the end of the year.”
• China, meanwhile, allows manufacturers a 200% deduction for R&D expensing, giving that country a major advantage.

Workforce and immigration: Manufacturing is “in the middle of a workforce crisis,” Timmons said. Enacting new, better immigration policy and investing more in certain workforce programs can help solve it.

• Manufacturing has nearly 800,000 open jobs—and many of them could be filled if legislators would expand work-permit programs, Timmons said. “Clearly, we need border security, but we also need more avenues for people to come legally and to work.”
• There should be more federal investment in apprenticeship models, too, so that students can “earn while they learn” in manufacturing, he added.

All hands on deck: Congress must work to fix these issues “in a very bipartisan way,” Timmons said. “We hear all the time from elected officials, both Democrat and Republican, and even independent, that they want to be supportive of manufacturing.”

• “They understand that manufacturing is the lifeblood of any competitive economy … and we appreciate that. But we also need to make sure that in addition to saying good things about manufacturing, that elected officials are actually doing the things they need to do. That’s what [‘Competing to Win’] is all about.”

At a time of economic uncertainty, policy leaders must support energy and workforce development initiatives that can bolster the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry. This week, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons traveled to Detroit, Michigan, to share that message at Oakland Community College’s campus in Auburn Hills. The Detroit Economic Club hosted the event.

• The NAM recently released an updated version of its policy blueprint, “Competing to Win,” which Timmons referenced in his remarks.

Energy: Timmons noted that access to abundant energy is a national security issue, especially in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and highlighted manufacturers’ all-of-the-above energy strategy. He also laid out some of the key policies that will help achieve manufacturers’ goals.

• Timmons argued in favor of permitting reform; removing regulatory barriers; promoting reasonable access to federal lands; deploying energy-efficient technology at home and around the world; expediting processes for exporting energy technologies; rejecting new taxes on energy manufacturers; and fixing the tax code to preserve full expensing for equipment and 100% full expensing for research and development.

Workforce: Timmons spoke to the need for new talent in the manufacturing industry and called on young people to be a part of manufacturing’s future. He also laid out the NAM’s workforce policy agenda.

• Timmons advocated for expanding the Pell Grant program to include accelerated education for in-demand skills; increasing the level of tax-exempt educational assistance from employers; investing in apprenticeship models; and fixing the broken immigration system to alleviate visa backlogs, bring employer-based immigrants to the United States and provide certainty for Dreamers.

Our approach: “Americans want practical solutions,” said Timmons. “They don’t want to have to choose between the extremes. They don’t want to punish businesses for being successful any more than they want to punish businesses for being good citizens. So, in this season of campaigns, manufacturers have our own campaign to run. It is a campaign for a manufacturing competitiveness agenda, for restoring faith in what’s possible.”

The bottom line: “Since America’s founding, manufacturers have led amid pandemics and disasters, through wars and recessions, during peace and prosperity,” said Timmons. “And we will keep leading for centuries to come, staying true to the values that have made America exceptional and kept manufacturing strong: free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.”

In case you missed it: Timmons has been on the road promoting manufacturers’ priorities and the NAM’s competitiveness agenda to leaders across the country. You can catch up on his earlier speeches in Phoenix, Arizona, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Last week was a milestone for the Creators Wanted Tour—it marked the first time the nationwide initiative returned to a community and got to see how perceptions of manufacturing had changed since its first visit.

Welcome back: The Creators Wanted Tour, a joint venture of the NAM and its workforce development and education partner, The Manufacturing Institute, returned to host and champion sponsor Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation in West Columbia, South Carolina, in the 11th stop of the roadshow, which took place Oct. 4–7.

Happy MFG Day! On MFG Day, Oct. 7, Creators Wanted campaign co-chair Lou Kennedy, president, CEO and owner of Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and her team hosted the tour stop’s premier event at its new Nephron Nitrile Glove Factory. The 426,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open next month and will produce nitrile gloves used in hospitals and sterile rooms globally.

• The protective-glove shortage in the U.S. during the pandemic inspired Kennedy to build the factory, which is set to produce 2 million gloves a year at full capacity.
• South Carolina legislators from both sides of the political aisle were on hand for a tour of the site. House Democratic Majority Whip James Clyburn and Republican Reps. Joe Wilson and Jeff Duncan joined hundreds of local students, educators, community leaders and manufacturers to view and learn more about the campaign and its resources.

Ready for the “boom”: “There is a manufacturing boom taking place all over the country,” Majority Whip Clyburn said. “We’ve got to focus on getting these young people prepared” for manufacturing careers.

• As Rep. Wilson said, “The opportunities for manufacturing just can’t be better.”
• “401(k), great salary—average wage of 75 to 80K—clean and beautiful working conditions and hard work with a lot of fun,” Kennedy said of jobs at Nephron, while extolling opportunities at modern manufacturers across the state and in nearby communities.
• Major Creators Wanted supporters Honda and Trane Technologies also have operations in the Palmetto State, and several other campaign sponsors, including Chroma Color Corporation, are within a short distance of West Columbia.

More career guidance: Students seeking tailored advice about their professional futures got it from representatives of FactoryFix, official recruiting partner of Creators Wanted, who were on hand to meet and coach job seekers.

• South Carolina Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Morgan, whose organization is a tour partner, was on site with his team to give students information on manufacturing opportunities in South Carolina.
• On Friday, Creators Wanted sponsor Autos Drive America had an exhibit showing attendees the types of vehicles being manufactured in South Carolina.

Women in manufacturing: During a “fireside chat” panel on the tour stop, Kennedy was joined by Autos Drive America President and CEO Jennifer Safavian and MI President Carolyn Lee to discuss the importance of advancing more women in manufacturing.

• “Growing up here in the deep south 20, 30 years ago, we were supposed to be teachers or … nurses; we weren’t supposed to be pharma CEOs,” Kennedy said. “And so, my goal is to help every young lady be what she wants to be, even if it’s the nontraditional career path. … If you want to be a super-genius chemist, you can do that. If you want to be a super-genius engineer, you can do that.”
• Echoed Safavian, “I think the message [of Creators Wanted] is, ‘Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to try something. For women especially, this is a terrific opportunity. … A lot of people think manufacturing is dark, dirty, dangerous. It is not. … it is the complete opposite.”

Calling all veterans: Modern manufacturing is also a natural fit for those who have been in the military, speakers told the audience during another panel discussion.

• “I started at Nephron as a senior system analyst, and throughout my career everything that I was faced with at Nephron I’d already seen in the military,” said Air Force veteran Eric Jackson, now a senior IT security analyst at Nephron. “So, I think the [military] training … is what prepared me for this job.”

The reach: The South Columbia 2022 tour stop, made possible by additional support from Dow, Honda and Nephron Pharmaceuticals, was a record breaker.

• More than 700 students from 13 schools—most located in traditionally underrepresented communities—participated in the tour stop’s events. Last year, those numbers were 500 and seven, respectively.
• This year’s West Columbia email signups—people wishing to learn more about manufacturing careers—brought Creators Wanted’s total signups to more than 520,000.

The last word: The tour stop may have been best summarized by one young student who attended the events. “Creators Wanted,” she said, “is a helping hand.”

Manufacturers across the country need a strong workforce to enhance the industry’s competitiveness and lead it into a bright future. The NAM is working with policymakers and manufacturers alike to help make that future possible.

The challenge: The need for qualified candidates in manufacturing roles is growing fast. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of available manufacturing jobs has nearly doubled.

• According to a recent study by The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce development and education partner of the NAM—and Deloitte, retirements and a persistent skills gap could cause more than 2.1 million U.S. manufacturing jobs to go unfilled by 2030.

Our priorities: The NAM is advocating policies that will help people of all backgrounds find incredible jobs in modern manufacturing.

• That means ensuring every student graduates from high school with the preparation they need to take the next step; reducing barriers to postsecondary education and skills development; creating pathways to good jobs and lifelong learning; creating partnerships between post-secondary institutions and employers; and supporting a range of high-quality education and training models.

Our solutions: To achieve these objectives, the NAM has offered a series of commonsense solutions, including the following:

• Expanding the Pell Grant program to include short-term education models and skills training
• Investing in apprenticeship and earn-and-learn programs
• Promoting attainment of industry-based credentials as a way to complete community and technical colleges
• Increasing the amount of tax-exempt educational assistance employers can provide
• Prioritizing employer leadership in federal discretionary grant competitions
• Reforming federal work study programs to highlight career-focused skills

What we’re saying: “Manufacturers are training and educating new generations of talented, ambitious young people,” said NAM Executive Vice President Erin Streeter in her keynote address at the 2022 Manufacturers’ Awards Banquet for the Southwest Virginia Alliance for Manufacturing. “All of this is ultimately about imparting learners with the skills and values needed to succeed in modern manufacturing.”

Our programs: The MI is focused on a range of initiatives to help build the manufacturing workforce. People interested in a manufacturing career should consider the FAME program, originally founded by Toyota, which offers participants training and certification. The MI also offers programs focused specifically on students, veterans and women.

Learn more: Find out more about the NAM’s policy recommendations for building a strong and effective workforce in “Competing to Win”—a blueprint for policies that support manufacturing in America.

The Manufacturing Institute, the NAM and SAS kicked off MFG Day 2022 at SAS world headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, where manufacturing, technology and political leaders highlighted the transformation in the industry and the promise of manufacturing careers.

The CEO: The session began with a welcome from SAS CEO Jim Goodnight, who spoke about manufacturing innovation and the way that cutting-edge technology is creating a more resilient industry and a more productive future.

• “We are committed to help teach and reskill the workforce for the demands of modern manufacturing, from data scientists and process engineers to robotic technicians,” said Goodnight. “There is great potential for growth in progress, especially when you bring analytics knowledge and tech experience to this critical sector.”

The governor: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper addressed the group and spoke about the value of workforce development.

• “When I talk with CEOs about coming to North Carolina or expanding in North Carolina, their top three issues right now are workforce, workforce and workforce,” said Gov. Cooper. “They know that they need this skilled, diverse help in their businesses.”

The NAM: NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons spoke about the skills gap in manufacturing and urged attendees—including students and young people—to see the opportunities for a rewarding career in the manufacturing industry.

• “If we don’t find the talent that we need to keep shop floors running and research and development moving, we’re going to lose out on productivity, on innovation, on growth,” said Timmons. “And this could cost America’s edge in global economic leadership. We cannot let that happen. We have to redouble our commitment to ensure that that does not happen.”

Transforming the workforce: The first panel of the day included a conversation with manufacturing leaders—moderated by Timmons and including experts from Deere & Company, Mack Trucks, SAS and Johnson Controls—discussing how technology and analytics continue to transform the industry and workforce. The conversation touched on:

• The way that companies are using advanced analytics to improve their products and processes in the modern age;
• The need for engagement programs and partnerships with professional organizations and school systems to help change perceptions of manufacturing; and
• The opportunity that manufacturing provides to solve big problems and make the world a better place.

Recruiting manufacturers: The day continued with a “creators” conversation moderated by MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee, which included panelists from SAS, ABB Inc. and Mack Trucks. The discussion covered:

• The dynamic nature of the industry—and how the sector innovated and adapted to new realities during the COVID-19 pandemic;
• The importance of networking, education and inclusive programming to attracting a diverse workforce; and
• The extraordinary range of careers in manufacturing—from sales, to operations, to HR and beyond—and the diverse set of skills and backgrounds needed to fill them.

The last word: “Manufacturing careers have a higher impact on local communities than any other sector in the economy,” said Lee. “So, manufacturing’s reach goes far and wide. But it’s not just the people on the plant floor; it’s all of the systems and all of the supports and all of the pieces that come together to support manufacturing.”

Learn more: For more information, and to check out video of the full event, click here.

For Christopher Wilf, joining the armed services is a family tradition.

“When I was growing up, my dad was in the military, his dad was in the military, and my mom’s side of the family had people in the military,” said Wilf. “When I was 16 and trying to plan out my future, my high school had a recruiting station with all four branches. I went in asking for information and went from there.”

Wilf had a four-year plan: to join the military, gain some skills and earn some money. But as he prepares to exit his role as a warrant officer in the U.S. Army more than 21 years later, it’s clear that the experience was a better and more long-lasting fit than he expected.

The next step: After two decades working in military aviation, Wilf wanted to try his hand at something else—and when he was introduced to the MI’s Heroes MAKE America program at Fort Stewart, outside Savannah, Georgia, he saw an opportunity for a new career.

• “Heroes gives you a whole range of opportunities, whether it’s within your existing specialty or not,” said Wilf. “If you’re looking for something new, they’ll provide you some references for that new area.”
• “We’re in Savannah, and logistics is huge here—lots of Fortune 500 companies that need logistics support. I understood logistics, but had no background in it, so the Heroes program I chose provided me with some of that training.”

The program: The MI designed Heroes MAKE America as an integrated certification and training program that helps prepare transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard members, reservists and military spouses for careers in the manufacturing and supply chain industries. It offers in-person and remote training options, as well as career guidance and placement support.

The results: Through the Heroes program, Wilf is working as a warehouse distribution manager at the Target distribution center in Midway, Georgia—and he credits Heroes with offering him the training to succeed.

• “As a guy coming in with no formal logistics knowledge, it gave me everything I needed,” said Wilf. “I’m currently working in the logistics field, and now I have some framework for how logistics works. When a concept comes up at work, I have a frame of reference—I can say, tell me about the specifics of this job, but I understand the general theme.”

Good advice: “Go into Heroes seriously, with a mindset of ‘I am doing this for myself and my career, to better myself and gain knowledge that makes me marketable in the civilian world,’” said Wilf.

• “For me, that was the most beneficial aspect of the course—that I became immediately marketable, even though it was only a two-month program. Employers know that I have some knowledge, and I’ve proven that I’m someone who can lead.”

The transition: It’s clear from Wilf’s experience that the skills he gained in the military make him a strong fit for manufacturing—and that the industry can provide him with a long-term career.

• “In just two months, I’ve already seen how my skills transfer,” said Wilf. “I’ve gone through a lot of interviews, and those characteristics of a military person—to be reliable, to be safety-conscious and to be a leader—that’s what people are looking for.”
• “Picking Heroes MAKE America provided me with the ability to stay on an upward trend and find a career, not just a job.”

A pitch for manufacturing: “If you’re looking for a field where you can get a job, with potential for upward growth, then manufacturing is it,” said Wilf. “From being at the warehouse level to working in management at headquarters, that potential for growth is real.”

Ellery Kring didn’t set out to begin a career in manufacturing. In fact, she wasn’t initially focused on a long-term career at all.

“I was pretty typical out of high school,” said Kring. “I needed some money and a job.”

The Kentucky native heard of a job opening at appliance manufacturer Bosch through someone she knew and secured an entry-level role that helped pay the bills. But when she learned about an apprenticeship opportunity through the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program, she saw a chance to build something more substantial.

The program: Founded in 2010 by Toyota and operated today by The Manufacturing Institute, FAME aims to help students become highly skilled, sought-after makers capable of meeting the unique needs and challenges of the modern manufacturing sector.

• It serves as a career pathway program for current and aspiring manufacturing workers, providing them with on-the-job training and classroom education, leading to an associate degree and the FAME Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) certificate.

A “no-brainer”: “Bosch is a pretty big sponsor of FAME in northern Kentucky, and I heard about it through word of mouth on the plant floor,” said Kring. “I had a strong feeling that I liked being in industry, and when I heard that Bosch had a program that would train you in maintenance and pay for your school, it was a no-brainer.”

• “They allowed us to shadow other departments—quality, manufacturing, logistics,” Kring said. “And in addition to a technical degree, they also gave you the soft skills to help you make your own career.”

The path: After her FAME graduation four years ago, Kring served as a Manufacturing Engineering Systems (MES) application engineer, helping to digitize the shop floor and integrate solutions to improve efficiency in production lines. Kring describes the role as “production IT”—maintaining, troubleshooting and implementing new solutions.

• She has recently moved onward and upward—on Aug. 1, she began a new project role that will allow her to focus on building server infrastructure and communications.

The support: Kring credits the FAME program with her success and especially appreciates that it allowed her to keep working while furthering her education.

• “I definitely have that program to credit for where I am now,” said Kring. “They got me the associate degree, which was such a big deal—having an actual degree. Other employers had certification programs, but this got me a degree.”
• “Because it’s hands on, I got to shadow an engineer, and since I was an apprentice, I got my foot in the door in this department,” said Kring. “If it wasn’t for the FAME program, I wouldn’t have seen this department, or known that I would have been interested in such a job.”

The industry: Kring notes that the reality of advanced manufacturing is far different from the stereotypes she had in mind when she first began considering a career in the industry. She encourages other job seekers to give it a second look:

• “Manufacturing is versatile,” said Kring. “I would highly advise people to be aware of
• how diverse and advanced it is. You could be in logistics and planning, or IT, or purchasing, or marketing.”
• “It’s important to keep in mind that there’s no one thing in manufacturing. It’s constantly growing and expanding. . . . Once you get your foot in the door, you have limitless possibilities for the rest of your life.”

Kring also encourages other women to join the field and says that, while manufacturing may currently be a male-dominated industry, there are plenty of opportunities for women who are interested in making their mark.

• “Women are perfectly capable of doing anything that a man” can do, said Kring. “There are women in this field, and we need more. I would tell women not to have preconceived notions about the industry. Don’t be intimidated, and don’t let any preconceived ideas or stereotypes stop you from going after it.”

The last word: “FAME set the path for my entire career,” said Kring. “I can’t speak highly enough about it. You can’t go wrong—it’s only a year and a half long program. It pays for your school, you get hands-on work experience, and you come out of it debt-free. It’s a quick program that has a lifetime effect in a positive way.”

This Friday, Oct. 7, manufacturers across the country will open their doors in an epic celebration of manufacturing in America. Students, parents, teachers, local leaders and many others will be welcomed into factories, technical schools and similar venues to see what modern manufacturing is really about.

What it is: Led by The Manufacturing Institute—the NAM’s workforce development and education partner—MFG Day kicks off a monthlong series of events that provide an inside view of the industry and the exciting careers it offers.

This year’s events: MFG Day events include open houses, expos, job fairs, roundtable discussions and more across the United States, featuring many different types of manufacturing.

• This year, more than 500 companies and organizations are already on the national map of registered events, beating last year’s total.
• One of the flagship events will be hosted by SAS at its world headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, and include remarks from SAS CEO Jim Goodnight and Gov. Roy Cooper, as well as discussions with manufacturing leaders from Deere & Company, Mack Trucks, Johnson Controls and ABB. Experts from SAS and the MI will speak about technology, analytics and career paths in manufacturing, while manufacturing and technology exhibits will be open to visitors.
• In addition, the NAM and MI’s Creators Wanted mobile experience will stop at Nephron Nitrile’s new glove factory in West Columbia, South Carolina, giving visitors the chance to complete challenges that resemble real, creative manufacturing work.

Why it matters: The manufacturing industry will need to fill about 4 million jobs by 2030, and a lack of high-skilled workers threatens to leave more than half of those positions empty, according to a study by the MI and Deloitte. MFG Day is designed to increase awareness among the young people who could become the stars of tomorrow’s industry, showing them how much they stand to gain from choosing manufacturing as their career.

• Changing misconceptions: MFG Day helps the industry push back against misguided stereotypes, demonstrating that today’s industry is high skilled, high tech, clean, creative and welcoming to people of all backgrounds and talents.
• Opening doors: MFG Day events are also excellent opportunities to demystify the industry and show young people (along with their parents and teachers) a vision of an exciting future. The coolness factor matters—taking students through a dynamic, high-tech factory floor can fire their imaginations and change the course of their lives.

Don’t forget: If your company or organization is already on board and planning an MFG Day event, register it so that the MI can keep track of the industry’s outreach and highlight the impact of MFG Day nationwide.

• Find more resources to help you with MFG Day planning here. And check out these useful tips for promoting and sharing MFG Day content on social media.

What we’re saying: “This is manufacturing’s biggest annual stage to inspire the next generation,” said MI Director of Student Engagement Jen White. “We hope anyone who cares about the industry’s future will use their social media platforms and amplify #MFGDay22, to showcase why manufacturers are saying ‘Creators Wanted.’”

If you’re a student or job seeker looking for tailored career guidance combined with some hands-on, immersive fun, White House, Tennessee, was the place for you to be last week.

National impact: The Creators Wanted Tour, a joint project by the NAM and MI, made its 10th national tour stop at White House Heritage High School on Sept. 27–29.

• There, more than 700 students from four schools in Tennessee’s Robertson County went through the Creators Wanted mobile immersive experience, the award-winning, manufacturing-themed escape room–like activity in which participants work together to solve challenges in a “race to the future.”
• They also got the opportunity to chat with on-site sponsor representatives from Electrolux, Schneider Electric and FactoryFix about the many rewarding, well-paying career paths available in the industry.
• Local partners, including the Robertson County Economic Development Board, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Tennessee Manufacturers Association, were also on hand to answer jobs- and manufacturing-related questions.

Calling all creators: During the Tennessee stop’s premier event, speakers underscored the need for more skilled workers to fill the millions of open manufacturing jobs in the U.S.

• “Here in Tennessee, our industry has more jobs to fill than there are people looking for them,” Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Tennessee Manufacturers Association President and CEO Bradley Jackson said.
• Speaking from firsthand experience about the many benefits of choosing one of those jobs was Tony Fraley, a plant manager for Electrolux. “I’m living proof of the great career opportunities in the field of advanced manufacturing,” said Fraley, who started at the company “running a process that coats dishwasher racks.”
• “I grew up about two hours from here in a small town very similar to White House,” he continued. “I always liked math and science. … I hope that stories like [mine] inspire the next generation of workers to consider a career that’s not only been good to me, but also offers a strong opportunity to earn a family-sustaining wage in a high-demand field.”

The numbers: The Tennessee stop resulted in more than 52,000 email signups from people interested in learning more about manufacturing careers.

An eye-opener: Students had a great time at last week’s events—and were pleasantly surprised to learn just how many interesting options manufacturing could offer them.

• “Creators Wanted made me excited about my future,” said one student.
• Added another, “Creators Wanted made me think more about my future in manufacturing.”

The last word: It’s past time for manufacturing careers to get their due as the gratifying professions they are, according to the Creators Wanted Spotlight panelists (and manufacturing company employees).

• Manufacturing “is definitely very rewarding [from a salary standpoint] but also the lifestyle that you get to have,” said Schneider Electric Manufacturing Engineer Zoie McFarland. “I get to go boating every weekend. I get to go hiking. I travel a lot. … Also, I was able to buy a house at 25. So, I think that is one major benefit—the lifestyle [manufacturing] gives you and the benefits that come from it.”

Robertson County, Tennessee, is a battleground—for companies vying for talent. With approximately 14,000 students in the school district, it’s a prime target for manufacturers looking to attract more young workers by shifting perceptions among parents, educators and students themselves.

What’s happening: The Creators Wanted Tour, the NAM and The Manufacturing Institute’s effort to build the workforce of the future, kicked off its fall 2022 tour yesterday in White House, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville. The stop’s premier event offered a glimpse of the advantage the tour gives manufacturers over other industries.

• “Our mission is to enable all students … to succeed … in a technologically advanced and culturally diverse society,” Dr. Chris Causey, director of schools for Robertson County, said at the kickoff event, calling Creators Wanted “a life-changing experience.”
• The stop was made possible by support from Dow and Honda, as well as more than 70 other manufacturing companies, including Tennessee stop hosts Electrolux and Schneider Electric.

The pitch and platform: Area manufacturing leaders held students’ attention as they spoke about the resilience of the industry and the reward of manufacturing careers.

• “Preliminary job numbers for August already show that Tennessee has reached its highest manufacturing employment level in over a decade—that’s over 360,000 Tennesseans,” said Bradley Jackson, president and CEO of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Tennessee Manufacturers Association, the official NAM and MI affiliate organization in Tennessee and key partner in the tour’s first-ever stop in the state.
• Tony Fraley, the Electrolux plant manager in Springfield, didn’t just trumpet the company’s new, $250 million state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. He explained to students that robots and cobots are increasing the industry’s need for technical skills, which enables workers with these skills to make “family-sustaining wages in a high-demand field.”
• “We have a lot of job openings, really good jobs,” said Ken Engel, senior vice president, global supply chain – North America at Schneider Electric. He highlighted the company’s advanced development program, where students “fresh out of college have a rotational program” to get experience in supply chain, logistics, lean manufacturing, marketing, finance and other disciplines.

The Creators Wanted experience: “The skills and technology on display here will help change Tennesseans’ understanding of what a manufacturing team does and how they do it,” said MI President Carolyn Lee.

• “So, for those of you who’ve gone through our mobile experience—did you have fun?” asked NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons, causing students to nod in agreement.
• Hoping to spur more career exploration, he concluded with this: “Have you learned that you can make a lot of money in manufacturing, doing things you like to do? That’s just a taste of what our industry is about and what manufacturing teams do every day.”

Early returns: More than 200 attendees gathered for the premier event, including students from White House Heritage High School, East Robertson High School and Jo Byrns High School.

• During the two-and-a-half day stop, the NAM and MI expect more than 700 students to visit and more than 30,000 email signups by students and career mentors interested in manufacturing careers.

The last word: “To strengthen manufacturing’s competitiveness, we must shift perceptions among, and provide opportunities to, students, parents and educators,” said NAM Executive Vice President Erin Streeter. “This stop in Tennessee will provide them with an introduction to the technologies and careers that are defining the future.”