Community Colleges: Hidden Gems For Manufacturing Workforce According to an article on Packaging Dive , community col- leges are gaining traction as a pool for the next generation of the manufacturing workforce. That’s according to a se- ries of reports by The Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center released in October, which examines the “hidden innovative structure” of America’s community col- leges. The manufacturing industry has long bemoaned the decline of its workforce. Yet today’s manufacturing educa- tional pathways look much like they did in the ’80s, when hiring numbers began declining. Apprenticeship programs remain scarce, with just 678,000 apprentices registered nationwide (in compari- son, Germany’s labor force is less than a third of the U.S.’ yet maintains 1.22 million apprentices). And according to one Dewalt survey, students believe that trade schools are costly and offer limited networking opportunities. Community colleges excel in ways conducive to a suc- cessful manufacturing career, said Shalin Jyotishi, founder of the Future of Work & Innovation Economy Initiative at think tank New America. The schools are accessible, closely plugged into the local manufacturing industry and usually more affordable. For many people, Jyotishi said, a community college is the
best way to enroll in a program that offers all the benefits of an apprenticeship. Community colleges allow students to enroll in cred- it-bearing courses, which can open future doors to oppor- tunities in advanced manufacturing and beyond. What Makes Community Colleges Unique Unlike many higher education institutions, community col- leges are able to develop, tailor and put specialized cours- es in manufacturing on offer at a quick pace. Students at Ohio-based Clark State College, for exam- ple, can obtain up to 14 manufacturing certificates, which can be applied toward a Bachelor of Applied Science de- gree in Manufacturing Technology Management. President Jo Blondin said much of this is created ac- cording to the Developing A Curriculum model, which cen- ters industry input. Simultaneously, Blondin said, the college’s engineering tech coordinator organized another advisory meeting to “obtain key insights to evolving advanced manufacturing skills desired by industry partners.” This included partic- ipants from Amazon, American Pan, Honda, LH Battery, Rittal, Sweet, Topre and Valco. Maintaining excellent industry relationships isn’t just a boon for the curriculum, it also allows colleges to offer training with a degree of job placement support. While still employed at Honda, Scot McLemore helped develop an apprenticeship program for manufacturing in which stu- CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
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