Good news—after decades of decline, manufacturing in the United States is on the rise. Production growth has surged post-pandemic, creating unprecedented investments in domestic manufacturing and infrastructure.
In fact, according to a recent report published by Manufacturing USA, this growth has led to:
- A surge in total manufacturing construction spending
- The creation of over 800,000 jobs
- Attracted over $500 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investment.
However, a key factor to the United States manufacturing sector capitalizing on this resurgence and becoming a competitive global leader in the industry is the difficulty in attracting and retaining skilled workers for the high-quality jobs being created.
It is estimated that 4 million manufacturing jobs will be created by 2030. However, employers may not be able to fill a significant number of those positions if they cannot find and hire educated, skilled workers. This skills gap and workforce shortage could have serious implications and cost the U.S. economy billions in lost economic activity.
To maximize the full potential of the U.S. manufacturing resurgence and ensure the nation’s manufacturers have access to a skilled, diverse, and steady talent pool, Manufacturing USA suggests three key priorities for an all-of-manufacturing approach to workforce development, including:
- Priority 1: Equip an advanced manufacturing workforce with evolving skills
- Priority 2: Broaden access to advanced manufacturing career pathways
- Priority 3: Spark interest in advanced manufacturing careers to secure a steady workforce talent pool
The IGNITE manufacturing program from Amatrol was designed with similar priorities in mind. Created with funding from the Department of Defense and in collaboration with Manufacturing USA institutes, the program was developed to meet the needs of the manufacturing industry. More specifically, the growing need for a highly skilled workforce that requires a new set of technical knowledge and abilities in today’s modern industry.
While today’s advanced manufacturing technologies have created exciting (and numerous) career opportunities, the IGNITE program aims to provide students with the technical skills, systems optimization skills, and 21st century employability skills like teamwork, communication, professionalism etc., that are needed in today’s advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0 careers.
Within the manufacturing training program, students learn about various careers and experience them firsthand by performing tasks with hands-on technology and virtual environments. The structured curriculum blends career exploration, creative learning, and skill development and establishes critical skills in systems-thinking and team problem-solving through creative project-based learning activities. Each of the six courses can be completed in one semester, providing flexibility for 1-,2-, or 3-year programs.
As students progress through the courses, concepts are reinforced through project-based learning. Through each project, teams will research ideas, develop multiple solutions, analyze and select the best solution, build a prototype, and evaluate their results. The types of projects include:
- Mini projects, which are individual hands-on projects that focus on a specific technology.
- Team projects, where students design, fabricate, and analyze working prototype devices.
- Capstone projects, where students work collaboratively in teams to solve real-world problems.
Through each project, teams will research ideas, develop multiple solutions, analyze and select the best solution, build a prototype, and evaluate their results. All IGNITE courses include project-based learning, interactive eLearning lessons, computer simulations, and hands-on workstations using Industry 4.0 technologies.
In addition to career exploration and project-based learning, students can earn skill certifications. IGNITE aligns with industry-recognized certifications including the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) and the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC).
With heightened innovation and unprecedented resources bringing more advanced manufacturing technologies online than ever before, now is the time to prioritize manufacturing education and workforce development. If IGNITE could be a good fit for your manufacturing or workforce development program, download the brochure here or contact us with any questions.
Header image by Lifestylememory on Freepik
