AEM is pleased to announce a collaborative partnership with Project MFG, a workforce development effort underwritten by the U.S. Department of Defense and other leading companies in the manufacturing industry.
The joint efforts of AEM and Project MFG are driven by a common goal – accelerate the growth of the skilled trade talent pool, building our manufacturing workforce. The partnership with Project MFG provides a proven method for bridging gaps between industry and education, not only to raise awareness for the demand and nature of careers in skilled trades, but also to ensure that education and training is aligned with the needs of manufacturers.
“AEM is committed to supporting our members and their efforts to attract, engage and retain a more highly skilled workforce,” said AEM Senior Director of Workforce and Industry Initiatives Julie Davis. “In promoting engagement with Project MFG, we are helping facilitate real opportunities for our members to connect with education and gain access to the next generation of industry employees.”
Project MFG shines a light on the need and opportunities for skilled trades by focusing on the development of new talent to provide a path forward for individuals and our country. Project MFG competitions throughout the United States promote the trades across industries and help advance the next generation of highly skilled trade professionals. As an integrated workforce development and recruitment effort, Project MFG collaborates across communities, the private sector and government to expand the U.S. industrial base workforce.
“Since Day 1, Project MFG has been hyper-focused on workforce development and enabling American Manufacturing to reclaim and solidify our position as the world leader,” said Dr. Ray Dick, founder of Project MFG. “Through our series of competitions, we are changing the conversation around skilled trade careers in manufacturing. Not only are we raising awareness for demand, we are initiating conversations between education/industry/economic development – to generate growth of the trained workforce in regions where competitions are held.”
Through their newly established collaboration with Project MFG, AEM will gain exposure within a nationally recognized program, one that possesses multiple assets and positive momentum. AEM members can leverage this relationship in a variety of ways to:
- Raise awareness locally/regionally/nationally
- Access top talent and develop a future stream of developed talent
- Influence skills being taught
- Create goodwill/positive industry perception in communities where facilities are located, through local/regional/national PR and media events
Ways that AEM members can get involved include:
- Sponsorship of teams
- Providing venue for competitions
- Providing equipment to be used at competitions/with tech school partner
- Influence the work completed and skills utilized at competitions
- Sponsorship of overall competitions (or series of competitions) locally/regionally/nationally
- Sponsorship of media production/reality series production
“AEM views Project MFG as a catalyst to elevate the next generation of skilled trade professionals by changing mindsets, fostering community preparedness, and challenging how the critical skills needed to succeed in modern advanced manufacturing are taught,” said Davis. “Through educational outreach, local, regional and national trade skill competitions, Project MFG is building positive perception of industry and attracting talented individuals to careers in skilled professions.”
For more information on AEM’s partnership with Project MFG, contact Julie Davis at jdavis@aem.org.
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