How Manufacturers and Schools Can Work Together

With the shortage of manufacturing workers in the United States we must start to investigate the situation closer to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow.  Besides the worker compensation, benefits, work environment, and career development topics that may influence career decisions in manufacturing, we should now look closer into the following topics.

Network with Others and Find Industry Partners

            With the information and insight gained from networking and local collaborations, it will enhance communications within the industry.

Support Your Local Youth Apprenticeship Program

            Youth apprenticeship programs can offer great opportunities for students to learn in the classroom and on the jobsite as well. Contact your local youth apprenticeship coordinator to find out how you can support the program.

Host a Plant Tour

            By opening your manufacturing facility up to the public for tours or open house events, you can showcase what is being made in the local community, which should in return spark interest in careers in manufacturing.

Participate in Career Fair Events

            By displaying what is made at your facility and providing information about careers offered, it can influence manufacturing careers choices made by the younger generations.

Offer Student Internships

            By offering internships to students, they can gain work experience in the manufacturing sector.

Donate Equipment to Schools

            An equipment donation to a local school could assure that the school is teaching the students with the same equipment used within the industry.

Donate Cash to a School

            With a cash donation the school could expand its technical education program to fill voids in the programs.

Offer Job Shadowing to Students

            By having students learn and shadow employees in manufacturing, the students can see if a career in manufacturing might be right for them.

Scholarships to Students

            There are many great scholarship programs setup already for the manufacturing industry. The students would greatly benefit if companies would aid the scholarship programs.

Join an Advisory Committee

            By joining a committee focused on improving current programs, it would ensure the success of the manufacturing program

Classroom Presentations

            By showcasing and presenting manufacturing to students in the classroom, it would aid in the understanding of manufacturing for students

Being involved within the local community as it pertains to manufacturing will help close the shortage of skilled manufacturing workers.