Building a Regional Manufacturing Workforce Pipeline
The Great Lakes States and the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec are increasingly competing for manufacturing investment based their capacity to support manufacturing innovation. The key to the future for the Great Lakes region is developing a skilled workforce. This will require new efforts throughout the region in developing innovation-focused manufacturing workforce pipelines for producing a skilled workforce better than any other region in the world as well as assisting current residents in obtaining the skills and knowledge to succeed in advanced manufacturing.
This is a precipitous time for this discussion. There is a new US federal vocational education program, Perkins that requires a new focus on developing pathways from high school to post secondary education in in-demand and high wage jobs. This stands a chance of revolutionizing career education in this country, particularly for the population who have not and probably will not follow the traditional route to post secondary education. It is also a unique time because of the investment Joyce is making in the Great Lakes States to provide education and training opportunities for low skill, low wage adult workers through its Shifting Gears initiative. We believe that it is possible to develop new pathways for both the future and current populations including adult disadvantaged populations
The Great Lakes Manufacturing Council (GLMC) is working with its Canadian provincial and Great Lakes state partners to develop a comprehensive P-20 manufacturing pipeline framework consistent with Perkins IV programs of study requirements that can be implemented at the provincial, state, and local levels throughout the Great Lakes Region. This framework will be designed to promote and support innovation-based education and training approaches (e.g., problem-based learning) from both the United States and Canada.
This innovation-focused framework can provide the Great Lakes Region with competitive advantages in the global economy by communicating a common global "innovation workforce" brand for attracting and retaining global manufacturing investment. This initiative will provide the opportunity for Canadian provinces and Great Lakes states to work with major industry associations (e.g. Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Canadian Manufacturing and Exporters), major universities (e.g. Purdue and Windsor) and unions and leading employers with investments in Canada and Great Lakes states (e.g., Rolls-Royce, Caterpillar, GM) to develop the most innovative and effective P-20 workforce development P-20 pipeline in the world.
As part of this effort the GLMC proposes to work with its industry partners to promote alignment and use of industry standards specific to advanced manufacturing. Feedback from within the manufacturing industry, educators, government officials and others indicates there is a need for manufacturing skill standards and a flexible assessment and certification process. A GLMC partner, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers has for many years seen the need to provide national – if not global- standards and certification for manufacturing professionals. We propose to use these standards, as well as other industry recognized standards as a cornerstone of the project.
By working with the Joyce Foundation and other partners, this initiative will also promote leading practices in making the region the best at tapping into the talents of disadvantaged populations and providing them career pathways in manufacturing.
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