Nine years ago the Chamber created Great Careers, and every year since then this program has taught students about alternative career paths with a key focus on manufacturing. We are thrilled to see the attention surrounding the 125th anniversary of the National Association of Manufacturing is bringing to the industry:
Manufacturing focus: The National Association of Manufacturers kicked off a year-long celebration of its 125th anniversary this week with the launch of a campaign called “Creators Wanted.” I’m in Washington, D.C. today for the NAM board meeting and had a chance to see the rollout of this unprecedented campaign that aims to change the perception of manufacturing and address the skills gap.
By 2025, the goal is to reduce the skills gap in the U.S. by 600,000, expand the number of students enrolling in technical and vocational schools or reskilling programs by 25%, and increase the positive perception of the industry among parents to 50% from 27% today. It’s an ambitious set of goals and I’m excited to see the results of this and AWB’s efforts bear fruit for an industry that employs nearly 9% of U.S. workers and 288,000 Washingtonians.