Input Stories

This isn’t your grandfather’s workforce development training (Manufacturing Dive).
  
What’s going on: “Emerging programs are increasingly going beyond simple vocational training by targeting students early or in underserved communities, offering direct pathways to employment and exposing trainees to advanced tech skills.”

• The changes are a direct response to the longtime shortfall of manufacturing workers, which could reach 1.9 million if current trends persist, according to a Manufacturing Institute–Deloitte study cited by the article.
• The MI is the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate.

How it’s happening: Thanks to federal and state-level funding and private-company innovation, “prospective workers can now opt into a manufacturing career via multiple training paths.”

• Events such as those hosted by manufacturers during Manufacturing Month in October are allowing companies to get prospective workers in the door.
• At the events, manufacturers reinforce “that this is a sector where you can make a real impact and build a fulfilling career,” Laura Phillips, vice president of engineering and procurement for Pella Corporation, told the publication. “We get to tell our story, challenge outdated perceptions and spotlight the career pathways that exist in this industry.” 

What else they’re doing: Pella uses a “multifaceted” approach to attracting talent, pairing interns with mentors and forming partnerships with schools to host plant tours and job shadows so students can see what modern manufacturing is really about.

• “Many of the students we have met through these interactions have joined the Pella team,” Phillips said.

The automation factor: Pella uses automation to supplement, not replace, human workers.  

• The technology “make[s] tough jobs easier and equip[s] younger team members with tools that help them upskill and work hand in hand with technology,” Phillips added. 

The MI says: “Manufacturers have long recognized the need to better engage the next generation of workers,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee.

• “That’s why MFG Day matters and is so powerful—especially when it’s connected to onboarding and training. Pella’s approach works and is a great model for our industry.” 
• “From Manufacturing Month and Manufacturing Day events that bring in prospective team members to pay-as-you-learn training, the industry is igniting interest in students and job seekers everywhere.”