N A T I ONAL IMPACTREPORT
Foreword from the Advisory Council Chairs
As Chairs of the President’s Advisory Council, Champion’s Advisory Council, and Manufacturing Association Advisory Council, we are proud to reflect on the continued growth and momentum of the Manufacturing Imperative — Workforce Pipeline Challenge (MI-WPC) as it completes its second year. Together, we remain deeply committed to strengthening the manufacturing workforce and ensuring the long-term competitiveness, resilience, and security of our nation’s manufacturing sector.
Manufacturing is the backbone of America’s economy, and sustaining its future requires coordinated action across education, industry, and community partners. In its second year, MI-WPC expanded its reach by adding three new states and six new colleges, strengthening a national network now impacting more than 30 communities. This growth has amplified our ability to raise awareness of modern manufacturing careers and increase enrollment in high-quality manufacturing education and training programs.
Across the MI-WPC network, colleges and industry partners continue to work together with creativity and urgency. Colleges are expanding outreach and aligning programs with industry needs, while manufacturers and associations are deepening engagement through classroom participation, work-based learning, and apprenticeship opportunities. These collaborative efforts are breaking down barriers and building clearer, more accessible pathways into manufacturing careers.
This National Impact Report highlights how collaboration among councils, colleges, manufacturing associations, and SME is driving measurable progress in the manufacturing talent pipeline. As we look ahead, we remain energized by the progress made and committed to advancing solutions that expand access, strengthen partnerships, and prepare a workforce ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.
Dr. Sheree Utash, Ed.D President of WSU Tech Chair, MI-WPC President’s Advisory Council
Greg Morris Senior Vice Provost, Dallas College Chair, MI-WPC Champion’s Advisory Council
Elisabeth Kovacs Executive Director, SC Future Makers Chair, MI-WPC Manufacturing Association Advisory Council
Foreword from Dr. Deb Volzer
Manufacturing is not just an economic driver — it is a cornerstone of national resilience and community stability. Two years into the Manufacturing Imperative – Workforce Pipeline Challenge (MI-WPC), we are proud to report meaningful, measurable progress toward our goal of enrolling 75,000 individuals in manufacturing-related programs across our network. Built on the conviction that thinking nationally and partnering locally produces durable results, MI-WPC has worked directly with state and local manufacturing associations, governments, and community partners to develop sector strategies that braid funding, services, and insight while scaling those lessons across every participating community.
Students who benefit are often an adult learner, a first-generation college student, or a career changer, who is building a more stable future for themselves and their family. But persistent barriers remain. These barriers are not new, but the consequences of inaction are becoming more immediate as manufacturing demand accelerates and workforce gaps widen. Funding shortfalls, aging facilities, and faculty shortages continue to limit progress. The challenge is alignment: ensuring learners can access programs, that reflect real-time industry needs, and that education, workforce, and policy systems are working in concert — not in isolation.
What we have learned through MI-WPC is that transformation does not come from isolated efforts, it comes from coordinated systems working toward a shared goal. As we enter MI-WPC’s final year, we will focus on deepening manufacturer engagement, advancing a K-20 industry-aligned education approach, and advocating for structural changes that make these gains durable. What manufacturing workforce development needs now is sustained investment equal to the urgency of the moment.
Sincerely,
Dr. Deb Volzer Vice President
Workforce Development
Behind the numbers are colleges transforming how they connect education to employment.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Across the country, manufacturers are ready to grow — but they cannot find the skilled talent they need to do it.
75K GOAL
47,800 + STUDENTS ENROLLED
22,000+ DUAL ENROLLMENT
750K+ MARKETING OUTREACH CONNECTIONS
2,298 REQUESTED INFORMATION ON TRAINING PROGRAMS
At a time when the United States is investing heavily in reshoring production, strengthening supply chains, and rebuilding the defense industrial base, the manufacturing workforce gap has become one of the most urgent challenges facing the economy. Today, manufacturing contributes nearly $2.4 trillion to U.S. GDP and supports approximately 15 million jobs. Yet in communities nationwide, critical roles remain unfilled—not because opportunities are lacking, but because pathways into them are not scaling fast enough.
The Manufacturing Imperative – Workforce Pipeline Challenge (MI-WPC) was launched by SME in 2023 to address this challenge head-on.
In just two years, MI-WPC has grown into a national network of community colleges, industry partners, and workforce leaders working together to rebuild the manufacturing talent pipeline. The goal is ambitious: 75,000 new learners entering manufacturing pathways. The progress is real: nearly 48,000 earners enrolled in our inaugural cohort of 25 community and technical colleges.
Across the MI-WPC network, institutions are expanding programs, modernizing curriculum, and building stronger, more intentional relationships with employers. In many regions, colleges are no longer operating in isolation; they are serving as conveners, bringing together industry, workforce agencies, and K–12 partners to align around shared talent needs.
One of the most significant challenges and opportunities has been instructional capacity. Colleges are ready to grow, but too often lack the instructors needed to scale. In response, MI-WPC partners are rethinking traditional models: upskilling existing faculty, leveraging industry experts as instructors, and exploring policy solutions that allow manufacturers to support training delivery directly. These approaches are beginning to unlock new capacity in ways that are both practical and scalable.
At the same time, awareness of manufacturing careers is expanding in meaningful ways.
Students and families are gaining earlier and more consistent exposure to modern manufacturing through facility tours, community events, and digital outreach. Dual enrollment programs connect high school students directly to college-level training and industry credentials, helping them see a future in manufacturing before they graduate. For adult learners, flexible and accelerated pathways are opening doors to stable, high-wage careers.
Industry is not just participating… it is co-investing .
Employers are working alongside colleges to shape curriculum, provide equipment, offer work-based learning, and hire directly from these programs. Apprenticeships, internships, and earn-and-learn models are expanding across the network, allowing learners to build skills while earning income. In many regions, employer demand is now outpacing the system’s ability to train workers— clear evidence that these models are working.
What MI-WPC demonstrates is simple but powerful: when education, industry, and workforce systems align, the results scale.
Looking ahead, the opportunity is clear. With continued investment and coordination, MI-WPC can expand workbased learning, strengthen career pathways from K–12 through postsecondary education, modernize training infrastructure, and reach populations who have not traditionally seen themselves in manufacturing careers.
This is not just a workforce initiative — it is a national strategy.
By building a stronger, more connected manufacturing talent pipeline, MI-WPC is helping communities grow, employers compete, and the United States maintain its position as a global manufacturing leader.
MI-WPC
A WORKFORCE AT A TURNING POINT:
NATIONAL MARKET CONDITIONS AND POLICY CONTEXT
America’s manufacturing workforce is at a turning point.
Across the country, demand for skilled workers is rising even as experienced workers are nearing retirement. Manufacturing remains a cornerstone of the U.S. economy, contributing approximately $2.4 trillion to GDP and supporting nearly 15 million jobs. Yet the workforce needed to sustain and grow this sector is not keeping pace with demand (National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST], 2024).
The challenge is both immediate and measurable.
The median age of a manufacturing worker is now 43.9, signaling a workforce heavily concentrated in mid- to late-career stages. In 2025, there were approximately 3.8 million workers age 55 and older, compared to just 1.2 million ages 16 to 24 entering the pipeline. At the same time, employers reported more than 400,000 open manufacturing jobs at the end of the year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2025a; 2025b).
AGING WORKFORCE
3 8M workers age 55+
WORKFORCE GAP
3.8M workers needed 1.9M roles at risk 400K open jobs
The gap is widening, and the stakes are growing.
INCOMING TALENT
1 2M workers age 16 to 24
Over the next decade, manufacturers may need as many as 3.8 million additional workers, with up to 1.9 million roles at risk of going unfilled without sustained, coordinated action (Deloitte & The Manufacturing Institute, 2024). This shortage is particularly concerning as manufacturing becomes more advanced, requiring workers who can operate in automated, digitally integrated, and data-driven environments.
At the same time, national investment in manufacturing is accelerating.
Across federal initiatives and defense priorities, billions of dollars are being directed toward rebuilding and expanding the U.S. industrial base, particularly in sectors such as shipbuilding and maritime production. Investments in submarine construction, shipyard modernization, and supplier network expansion are designed to strengthen national security and meet increasing production demands (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2025; U.S. Department of the Navy, 2025).
But investment in infrastructure alone is not enough.
Without a skilled workforce to support these efforts, growth will stall. Production capacity, supply chain resilience, and national defense readiness all depend on the availability of trained talent.
This is why SME’s approach, thinking nationally while mobilizing locally, is critical.
Workforce challenges do not look the same across regions. Solutions must be coordinated at the national level while remaining responsive to local labor markets, industry needs, and education systems. Whether supporting maritime manufacturing along the Gulf Coast or advanced production in other regions, success depends on aligning education, industry, and workforce systems around shared goals.
The manufacturing workforce challenge is no longer just an industry issue. It is a national priority.
Federal policy is increasingly reflecting this reality, with workforce readiness emerging as a foundational component of economic competitiveness and defense strategy. Multi-agency initiatives are focused on expanding pathways into high-demand industries, strengthening training systems, and connecting more individuals to meaningful, high-skilled careers.
The path forward is clear.
Without a modern, adaptable, and technology-aligned workforce pipeline, the United States risks limiting the full impact of its manufacturing resurgence. Addressing workforce shortages is essential not only to meet current demand but also to ensure longterm economic growth, innovation, and national security (BLS, 2025b).
DRIVING WORKFORCE OUTCOMES: COLLEGE-LED
STRATEGIES THAT SCALE
College-Level Workforce Outcomes
MI-WPC continues to make measurable progress toward its collective goal of enrolling 75,000 learners to strengthen the advanced manufacturing workforce pipeline. Across the first two years of implementation, participating colleges have enrolled 47,866 new students in manufacturing and related programs, demonstrating strong national momentum. Recent data shows significant enrollment growth across key areas from Spring to Fall 2025:
In 2025, MI-WPC focused on three priority areas essential to sustaining and scaling this impact: faculty support and upskilling, career awareness, and engagement with small and medium-sized manufacturers. Progress across each area reflects a coordinated approach that aligns education, industry, and workforce systems while expanding access and accelerating entry into high-demand careers.
Faculty Support and Upskilling
While preparing the next generation of manufacturing talent is critical, MI-WPC partners consistently identified instructor shortages as one of the most significant barriers to growth. Many colleges face challenges in recruiting and retaining faculty with current, industry-relevant experience. This constraint directly limits enrollment capacity, increases waitlists, and slows program responsiveness to evolving technologies.
In response, SME and its partners implemented a multi-pronged strategy focused on faculty engagement and innovative staffing approaches. In 2025, four Faculty Forums brought together instructors from across the network to share strategies related to program design, recruitment challenges, and professional development. An in-person forum at Grand Rapids Community College highlighted key barriers, including salary competition with industry and a limited pipeline of qualified instructors, while also reinforcing strong demand for ongoing upskilling.
Manufacturing association partners are helping bridge the gap between industry and education. Manufacture Alabama introduced the TEACH Credit during the 2026 legislative session, a proposed policy that would provide tax incentives for companies to loan skilled employees to serve as instructors. This model is gaining attention as a scalable solution to address faculty shortages.
“As you all know we all get busy with our dayto-day work and I think organizations like SME with the Manufacturing Imperative that provide an additional lens that helps us be held accountable for what we’re doing. For us it’s exciting to look beyond Dallas County for our work and see how Dallas College can play a national if not Global impact.”
Dr. Greg Morris, Dallas College Senior Vice Provost of Academic Services
SCALING INSTRUCTIONAL CAPACITY USING TOOLING U-SME CONTENT
32,867 CLASSES WERE ACCESSED THROUGH COLLEGE LMS PLATFORMS
17,516 COMPLETED CLASSES WITHIN THE TOOLING U SME LMS
2,198 STUDENTS
67 CERTIFIED MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATES WERE AWARDED
Career Awareness and Navigation
MI-WPC colleges are shifting from one-time events to sustained, year-round career awareness strategies. While Manufacturing Day remains an important entry point, colleges are building continuous engagement models that help normalize manufacturing as a high-skilled, high-wage career option.
This shift has led to increased participation in facility tours, open houses, bus tours, and community outreach events. Colleges are seeing measurable results. Richard J. Daley College, for example, reported a 50% increase in manufacturing-related events year after year, alongside growth in student engagement.
Digital outreach is also expanding its reach. Eight colleges collaborated on targeted marketing campaigns designed to engage students and key influencers, including parents. These campaigns reached more than 750,000 individuals and generated 2,298 qualified leads, performing well below standard cost benchmarks.
FROM AWARENESS TO ENROLLMENT
750K INDIVIDUALS REACHED
2,298
PROSPECTIVE LEARNERS ENGAGED IN MANUFACTURING EDUCATION & TRAINING
Dual enrollment remains one of the most effective strategies for early pathway development. By aligning high school programs with postsecondary manufacturing pathways, colleges are strengthening transitions and increasing persistence. Participation in dual enrollment grew by 60% last year, with more than 22,000 students engaged since the launch of MI-WPC.
Together, these efforts demonstrate that sustained awareness, when paired with accessible, industry-aligned pathways, drives long-term workforce growth.
Engaging Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturers
Engagement with small and medium-sized manufacturers remains central to MI-WPC’s strategy. Colleges are strengthening these partnerships through employer assessments, structured engagement models, and regional collaboration that identifies real time workforce needs.
This alignment is driving the expansion of apprenticeships, internships, and other earn-and-learn opportunities. Employers are not only participating, but they are also helping shape training programs to reflect current production environments and skill requirements.
Employer sponsored training is also increasing. Since the launch of MI-WPC, 4,919 learners have enrolled in employer supported programs, reflecting strong industry commitment to workforce development and upskilling.
These outcomes show that sustained industry engagement leads to more responsive program design, faster talent development, and scalable workforce solutions that align with both regional and national manufacturing needs.
CONNECTING EDUCATION TO INDUSTRY:
EMPLOYER-DRIVEN WORKFORCE IN PRACTICE
Strong employer alignment remains central to the MI-WPC model, ensuring that education and training strategies respond directly to evolving workforce needs, particularly those of small and medium-sized manufacturers.
As manufacturers navigate shifting supply chains, market uncertainty, and changing policy conditions, MI-WPC partners serve as a critical bridge between industry and education. This alignment ensures that workforce strategies are grounded in real time employer demand rather than theoretical assumptions.
The Manufacturing Association Advisory Council plays a key role in elevating the voice of small and mediumsized manufacturers. Through this forum, employers share current challenges, workforce needs, and hiring realities. While some manufacturers have benefited from recent policy changes, others remain cautious in hiring or face increased operational pressures. These insights help ensure that workforce strategies remain responsive and relevant.
Across the network, colleges are strengthening employer relationships and advancing industry aligned programming. Outreach efforts are becoming more targeted, partnerships are becoming more intentional, and talent pipelines are becoming more responsive to employer demand.
Employer Engagement in Practice
MI-WPC colleges are implementing structured strategies to strengthen employer relationships and better understand workforce demand.
Mohawk Valley Community College has developed a strong partnership with its regional Manufacturing Extension Partnership, significantly expanding industry engagement. With support from SME, the college launched a comprehensive employer outreach strategy that includes Employer Assessments and a Tiered Engagement System targeting more than 3,000 regional employers. Beginning in Spring 2026, this effort will deepen relationships, identify workforce needs, and increase employer participation in talent pipeline programs.
Edmonds College convened education and industry leaders through employer roundtables in 2025 to address workforce readiness, skills gaps, smart manufacturing, and talent attraction and retention. Follow-up sessions expanded these conversations to include artificial intelligence, barriers to entry, instructor shortages, and the role of short-term credentials in meeting immediate employer demand.
Together, these efforts reflect a broader shift across the MI-WPC network toward structured, data informed employer engagement that directly shapes program design and delivery.
College Story: Wake Tech — Apprenticeships
Aligned to Industry Demand
In July 2025, Wake Tech launched an innovative apprenticeship program in partnership with leading life sciences employers CSL Seqirus, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, and Eli Lilly and Company. The eight-month Biomechatronics training program prepares advanced maintenance technicians for highdemand roles. Following completion, participants transition directly into paid, full-time on-the-job training with one of the partner companies.
Apprenticeship expansion has become a strategic focus for Wake Tech. In 2024, 150 companies employed 500 apprentices through Wake Tech Apprenticeship — up from just 20 employers and 100 apprentices four years earlier — demonstrating the scalability and employer value of industry-driven earnand-learn models.
Expanding Earn and Learn Pathways
Earn-and-learn models remain a top priority for both employers and colleges. These approaches connect students and job seekers to real manufacturing environments, ensuring that training reflects current workforce needs while building practical experience alongside technical instruction.
Since the launch of MI-WPC, 2,062 participants have enrolled in Earn and Learn programs, reflecting strong and growing employer demand. In several regions, demand is now exceeding available training capacity.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College currently maintains a waitlist due to limited training space and is actively working with employers to expand capacity.
5 EMPLOYERS
Pellissippi State College increased employer participation in its Industrial Maintenance Earn and Learn program from five employers at the launch in early 2025 to more than ten by the end of the year.
10 EMPLOYERS
Several colleges, including College of Lake County, Grand Rapids Community College, Schoolcraft College, Dallas College, Edmonds College, and Greenville Technical College, offer employer-aligned pathways in CNC machining, welding, mechatronics, robotics programming, and maintenance technologies.
These efforts demonstrate that when employers are actively engaged in program design and delivery, training becomes more relevant, more efficient, and more scalable.
Systems Impact: From Programs to a Scalable National Talent Infrastructure
Across the United States, and increasingly around the world, education systems and industries are confronting a workforce challenge that has been building for more than a decade. Often referred to as the “demographic cliff,” declining birthrates beginning around 2008 are now resulting in a smaller pipeline of learners entering education and, ultimately, the workforce (Minkin, 2025; Ruffalo Noel Levitz, n.d.; Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education [WICHE], n.d.).
At the same time, a significant wave of retirements and increased workforce mobility are widening the gap between available talent and industry demand (Deloitte, 2025; JPMorgan Chase & Co., 2025). These trends are particularly consequential for manufacturing, where demand for skilled workers continues to grow.
Even under optimal conditions, the traditional education pipeline alone cannot meet workforce demand. Across the continuum, from K through 12 to postsecondary and graduate education, institutions are not producing enough graduates to keep pace with evolving workforce needs. When combined with persistent completion challenges and skills misalignment, the strain on the workforce ecosystem becomes increasingly pronounced.
Meeting future workforce needs requires a different approach, one that expands access to opportunity, accelerates career pathways, and strengthens alignment between education and industry. This is the future the Manufacturing Imperative Workforce Pipeline Challenge is working to build.
The SME MI-WPC brings together community colleges, manufacturers, and workforce partners to create a more coordinated and responsive talent ecosystem. The initiative focuses on identifying untapped talent, reducing barriers to participation, and building clear pathways that connect
individuals to meaningful careers in advanced manufacturing. At the center of this model is a shift toward industry-aligned, accelerated, and competency-based learning pathways that enable faster skill development while allowing education providers to respond more effectively to changing workforce requirements.
Community colleges play a critical role in this transformation. Through sustained collaboration with SME and local employers, institutions are redesigning how workforce training is delivered, moving at the speed of industry while maintaining strong academic quality and learner support. Across the network, partners have expanded noncredit and accelerated programs that provide faster entry points into manufacturing careers. Earn-and-learn models continue to gain momentum, enabling individuals to build skills, gain practical experience, and earn income simultaneously.
MI-WPC Model ACCELERATED ALIGNED
Beyond individual program innovation, MI-WPC is demonstrating how workforce solutions can scale. The initiative operates as a national framework with regional implementation, allowing colleges to adopt shared tools, industry-aligned curricula, and employer engagement strategies while tailoring programs to local economic conditions. This approach reduces duplication, accelerates program development, and enables promising practices to be replicated across institutions and regions. As additional colleges join the initiative, the collective capacity to train skilled workers expands, strengthening both regional workforce systems and the national manufacturing talent infrastructure.
The Maritime Manufacturing Workforce Pipeline – Gulf Coast
In late 2025, SME expanded its workforce development efforts to include the Maritime Manufacturing Workforce Pipeline – Gulf Coast (MMWP-GC). This initiative is designed to build a coordinated regional talent pipeline to support critical workforce needs in maritime manufacturing, including shipbuilding and submarine production.
MMWP-GC brings together six community colleges and nine high schools across the Gulf Coast to establish aligned career pathways that begin in secondary education, extend through postsecondary training, and lead to employment. This model expands access to maritime manufacturing pathways while strengthening early entry points into the talent pipeline. It emphasizes early exposure, dual credit opportunities, industry-aligned curriculum, and structured transitions into high-demand careers.
The Gulf Coast region represents a critical hub for maritime industrial activity and national security supply chains. With more than 75,000 maritime manufacturing jobs projected nationwide by 2028, this effort is positioned to help address workforce shortages by preparing students and job seekers with the skills required to enter and advance in the maritime sector.
Through the MMWP-GC initiative, SME is partnering with:
• Bishop State Community College (Mobile, AL)
• Coastal Alabama Community College (Bay Minette, AL)
• Lawson State Community College (Bessemer, AL)
• Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (Gulfport, MS)
• Nunez Community College (Chalmette, LA)
• Pearl River Community College (Poplarville, MS)
In addition to their regional work, these colleges are now actively engaged in SME’s national advisory structure through participation in the President’s Advisory Council, the Champions Advisory Council, and the Manufacturing Association Advisory Council. This integration ensures alignment with national strategy, strengthens cross-institution collaboration, and brings Gulf Coast workforce priorities into broader industry and policy conversations.
Together, these institutions are implementing a comprehensive secondary to postsecondary pathway system that integrates career awareness, dual credit coursework, hands-on technical training, and employer engagement. This approach strengthens alignment between education and industry while creating clear, accessible pathways into maritime manufacturing careers.
By extending this workforce development model into a critical region and strategic sector, SME is advancing a more coordinated and scalable approach to talent development. This effort supports faster response to industry demand, expands access to high-quality training, and strengthens the long-term resilience and competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing.
The map above shows our inaugural member colleges that participate in the MI-WPC Program throughout the country.
- Richard J Daley - Wilbur Wright
THE PATH FORWARD:
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR CONTINUED IMPACT
The first two years of MI-WPC have demonstrated a clear, measurable impact. With nearly 48,000 new students enrolled, the initiative has surpassed the halfway point toward its goal of 75,000 learners, confirming that the model is delivering at these 25 colleges meaningful results for colleges, industry partners, and regional economies.
At the same time, the scale and persistence of the manufacturing talent shortage reinforce the need for sustained investment and coordinated action.
As MI-WPC enters its third year, program outcomes and research findings point to several strategic priorities that can accelerate progress and further strengthen the national manufacturing workforce pipeline:
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Expand and Scale Apprenticeship and Earn and Learn Programs
Work-based learning remains one of the most effective strategies for preparing learners for real-world manufacturing careers. Internships, pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, and earn-and-learn models develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and workplace-readiness skills that support long-term retention and career advancement.
Despite strong outcomes, scaling these programs remains challenging. Colleges and small- and mediumsized manufacturers face administrative burdens, resource constraints, and the need for sustained employer participation. Targeted federal investment and policy support can help expand capacity, reduce barriers, streamline employer engagement, and increase access to high-quality work-based learning opportunities.
Accelerate Industry-Driven Curriculum Development
Advanced manufacturing technologies are evolving rapidly, requiring continuous updates to curriculum and training tools. The MI-WPC network provides a unique opportunity to scale the development and adoption of industry aligned curriculum across institutions.
By leveraging collective investment, colleges can expand access to training in automation, robotics, cybersecurity, and emerging production technologies. This shared approach reduces duplication, accelerates innovation, and ensures that learners across regions are equipped with relevant, in-demand skills.
Expand Earn & Learn
Industry Driven Curriculum
Strengthen Career Pathways
Expand Career Awareness
Strengthen Career Pathways Across the K through 20 Continuum
Early and sustained exposure to manufacturing careers is critical to building long-term workforce interest and participation. Strengthening career pathway alignment from kindergarten through postsecondary education creates clearer, more accessible routes into manufacturing careers.
When supported by aligned curriculum, stackable credentials, and credentials of value, these pathways enable learners and families to make informed decisions at key transition points. Expanding dual enrollment and increasing access to hands-on and work-based learning opportunities allow learners to build skills earlier and transition more confidently into advanced training and employment.
Expand Career Awareness to Reach Untapped Talent
Increasing participation in manufacturing careers requires sustained, strategic outreach. Digital campaigns and targeted marketing efforts have successfully connected students, job seekers, and adult learners with available programs and career opportunities.
Continued investment in public awareness strategies can strengthen recruitment, increase labor force participation, and reshape outdated perceptions of manufacturing. Expanding these efforts will ensure that more individuals are aware of and prepared for high-growth opportunities in the modern manufacturing economy.
CONCLUSION
The results of MI-WPC make one thing clear: when education, industry, and workforce systems are intentionally aligned, the manufacturing talent pipeline can grow at scale.
In just two years, colleges across the network have expanded access, strengthened employer partnerships, and accelerated pathways into high-demand careers. These outcomes demonstrate that the challenge is not a lack of opportunity, but the need for coordinated, sustained action to connect talent to that opportunity.
The path forward is not theoretical. It is already in motion.
With continued investment and alignment, MI-WPC is positioned to expand its reach, deepen its impact, and help build a workforce system that is more responsive, more inclusive, and better equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving manufacturing economy. The opportunity now is to scale what works—ensuring that learners, employers, and communities across the country can fully participate in and benefit from the resurgence of U.S. manufacturing.
APPENDIX
AL Robin Ricks, Manufacture Alabama (Chair, 2025)
IL Sarah Hartwick, Illinois Manufacturers Association
Calhoun Community College
Wallace State Community College
City Colleges of ChicagoRichard J. Daley
City Colleges of ChicagoWilbur Wright
Dr. Jimmy Hodges
Tad Montgomery
Dr. Vicki Karolewics Jerry Murcks
Dr. Peggy Korellis David Girzadas
Dr. Andres Oroz
College of Lake County Dr. Lori Suddick
KS – WSU Tech
MI Bill Rayl, Michigan Manufacturers Association
MN Brenda Hawley, Minnesota Precision Manufacturers Association
MO Michael Eaton (Chair, 2024), Missouri Association of Manufacturers
MT –
NC David Haines, North Carolina Manufacturers Alliance
NY Mike Frame, Manufacturers Alliance of New York
OH Kenneth Poland, Ohio Manufacturing Association
OK –
Grand Rapids Community College
Billy McFarland
Richard Ammon
Dr. Sheree Utash (Chair) Scott Lucas
Dr. Triezenberg
Schoolcraft College Dr. Glenn Cerny
South Central College
St. Charles Community College
Flathead Valley Community College
Wake Technical Community College
Mohawk Valley Community College
Columbus State Community College
Lorain County Community College
Tulsa Community College
SC Elisabeth Kovacs, South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance Greenville Technical College
Motlow State Community College
TN Sarah Bennett, Tennessee Association of Manufacturers
TX Paul Mayer, Dallas County Manufacturers’ Association
VA Brett Vassey, Virginia Manufacturers Association
WA –
WI –
Pellissippi State Community College
Dallas College System
Tyler Junior College
Patrick & Henry Community College
Edmonds College
Gateway Technical College
Dr. Ritu Raju
Wesley Fox
Robert Leadley
Dr. George Taylor, Kelcey Woods-Nord
Dr. Barbara Kavalier Amanda Sizemore
Dr. Jane Karas Lisa Blank
Dr. Scott Ralls Al Brewer & Chad Ray
Dr. Randall VanWagoner
Dr. David Harrison
Dr. Marcia Ballinger
Dr. Leigh B. Goodson
Dr. Larry Miller
Dr. Michael Torrence
Dr. Anthony Wise
Dr. Justin Lonon
Dr. Juan Mejia
Dr. Greg Hodges
Dr. Amit Singh
Dr. Ritu Raju
Cory Albrecht
Jeff Spain
Terri Burgess Sandu & Tracy Green
Christine Allison & Pete Selden
Raymond James & Kelvin L. Byrd
Eric Reynolds & Larry Flatt
Dr. Patricia Weaver
Greg Morris & Eddie Tealer
Deana Sheppard & Adam Palacios
Rhonda Hodges
Mel Cossette & Kristi Lagrutta
Steve McNaughton
Leading Practices by MI-WPC Colleges: Capacity Building
Capacity building is the expansion of the community colleges’ ability to deliver high-quality, industry-aligned training at the scale and speed employers require. This includes modernizing facilities and equipment, increasing instructional capacity, and creating more accessible pathways for learners. Strengthening capacity is critical as demand for skilled manufacturing talent continues to outpace supply and technologies rapidly reshape workforce needs. By investing in capacity, colleges can reduce training bottlenecks, respond to regional industry demand, and help ensure manufacturers have a steady pipeline of job-ready talent.
COLLEGE LEADING PRACTICE
Dallas College
Flathead Valley Community College
On the Continuing Education front, Dallas College has leveraged full-time Facilitators of Learning & Development to respond to industry demand for training in automated manufacturing and aviation maintenance technology. Facilitators bring industry experience and expertise directly into the classroom to provide hands-on training and industry relevance to the Manufacturing and Maintenance Technician jobs.
Secured a grant and created a program for CNC professional development for high school CTE teachers. Expanded regional instructional capacity and supported new secondary manufacturing programs.
Mohawk Valley Community College Broke ground on a new Applied Technology Center with industry-aligned labs and equipment. Expanded regional capacity for advanced manufacturing and technical training.
South Central College Distributed iREAL mechatronics trainers (iMEC 3.0) to secondary and postsecondary partners statewide. Expanded access to modern mechatronics training, especially in rural schools, with brand agnostic skill development.
Wichita State University – WSU Tech
St. Charles Community College
Expanded National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT) with new aviation, automation, and advanced manufacturing facilities. Will serve an additional 1,450 learners in three years, strengthening Wichita’s aviation and manufacturing workforce pipeline.
Opened a 48,000 sq. ft. Regional Workforce Center, offering associate degrees and workforceready certificates in high-demand fields. They offer associate degrees and workforce-ready certificates in a state-of-the-art location. This provides high school students and adults with access to hands-on learning in high-demand areas.
Leading Practices by MI-WPC Colleges: Industry Partnerships
Industry partnership is essential to ensuring that community college manufacturing programs remain aligned with real-world workforce needs. Through sustained collaboration with employers, colleges gain insight into evolving skill requirements, emerging technologies, and regional hiring demand, enabling them to adapt their curricula, training models, and learning environments accordingly. Strong partnerships also expand access to experiential learning opportunities such as apprenticeships, internships, and earn-and-learn pathways that prepare students for immediate employment. By embedding employer perspectives into program design and delivery, community colleges can strengthen graduate outcomes while helping manufacturers build a reliable pipeline of skilled talent.
COLLEGE LEADING PRACTICE
City Colleges of Chicago
Richard J. Daley & Wilbur Wright
Columbus State Community College
Greenville Technical College
Pellissippi State Community College
Tyler Junior College
Expanded apprenticeship offerings aligned with employer needs. Apprenticeship participation increased by 25%, strengthening connections with local manufacturers.
Hosted the Crafted in Union County career exploration event with economic development, Ohio MEP, and local schools. Created a signature regional event offering interactive, hands-on manufacturing exploration for students and engagement for employers.
Created a full continuum of experiential learning through partnerships with BMW, Michelin, GE Vernova, and others. Over 533 BMW Scholar participants gained paid experience and transitioned into family sustaining careers.
Expanded Earn and Learn opportunities with regional manufacturers. Improved student readiness and deepened employer engagement. Galvanized support internally at the college.
Built a strong internship to employment pipeline with EMA Engineering. Over half of graduates secured jobs with EMA, supporting company growth and talent continuity.
Leading Practices by MI-WPC Colleges: Workforce Pipeline Expansion
Workforce pipeline expansion focuses on identifying and engaging untapped talent within local communities and connecting individuals to high-quality education and employment opportunities in manufacturing. Community colleges play a critical role in this effort by developing flexible training models, strengthening outreach, and partnering with workforce and community organizations to reduce barriers to participation. Expanding the pipeline helps employers access a broader talent pool while supporting greater economic mobility for learners. By creating clearer pathways into manufacturing careers, colleges can help align workforce supply with industry demand and strengthen regional economic resilience.
COLLEGE LEADING PRACTICE
College of Lake County
Gateway Technical College
Grand Rapids Community College
Support career exploration for middle and high school students through early exposure to modern manufacturing environments and careers by creating structured, age-appropriate exploration experiences that connect classroom learning to real equipment, processes, and industry contexts.
Delivered training programs for justice involved learners (on campus and via mobile labs) and launched neurodiverse programming by partnering with the Uniquely Abled Academy. Broadened access to manufacturing pathways and increased equity for underserved populations.
Led the One Workforce for West Michigan Manufacturing Project with West Michigan Works. Helped unemployed and underemployed learners gain automation and AI skills with strong wraparound support.
Leading Practices by MI-WPC Colleges: Program Alignment
Program alignment ensures that manufacturing education and training reflect current industry technologies, skill requirements, and career pathways. By working closely with employers and embedding industry-recognized credentials, community colleges can adapt their curricula, learning environments, and instructional practices to meet evolving workforce demands. Strong alignment improves student readiness, accelerates transitions into employment, and supports incumbent worker advancement in high-growth sectors. For manufacturers, aligned programs help reduce onboarding time, boost productivity, and build a more resilient, competitive talent pipeline.
COLLEGE LEADING PRACTICE
Edmonds College
Lorain County Community College
Motlow State Community College
Patrick & Henry Community College
Wallace State Community College
Wake Tech Community College
Tulsa Community College
Deployed mobile training units to aerospace and manufacturing employers for on-site upskilling. Increased employer access to flexible, hands-on workforce training. Eliminated transportation barrier for participating students.
Launched a new automation and robotics lab through district partnership and a state grant. Students can earn up to nine industry-recognized credentials before graduation.
Increased faculty expertise through EV and Cognex certification training. Strengthened program alignment with emerging technologies and improved instructional quality.
Embedded industry certifications into credit and noncredit programs using the Festo Industry 4.0 pathway. Established seamless credit for prior learning routes supporting incumbent worker advancement.
Identifying and communicating options for bachelor’s programs to students considering and entering into associate’s programs. Improved student awareness and uptake of transfer pathways, leading to smoother transitions into aligned bachelor’s programs.
Launched a distinctive apprenticeship program in partnership with life sciences leaders CSL Seqirus, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, and Eli Lilly and Company. The eight-month Biomechatronics training program will prepare advanced maintenance technicians for high-demand careers at their facilities. After eight months of training, students will transition to full-time on-the-job training at one of the companies and receive a salary.
Introduced UAV certificate; launched micro credentials; expanded dual credit manufacturing offerings. Awarded 143 industry credentials and strengthened student pathways into engineering and manufacturing.
IMPACT REPORT 2026 NATIONAL
Dr. Deb Volzer Vice President of Workforce Development (614) 499-5889 • dvolzer@sme.org
Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. Together we share one common belief: Manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity. SME accelerates new technology adoption and inspires and builds North America’s talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing as a diverse, thriving and valued ecosystem that drives competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. We believe in technology’s power and humanity’s innovation to advance our society and meet many national challenges. We design new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of innovation and growth. Learn more at SME.org FOR MORE INFORMATION: