Preparing the next generation of manufacturers through community colleges
Past Event
Preparing the next generation of manufacturers through community colleges
Preparing the next generation of manufacturers through community colleges

The future of workforce development

Training workers in manufacturing
Since the Great Recession, college graduates have entered a challenging job market. And yet, some 2 million manufacturing jobs will remain vacant over the next decade, due in large part to the “skills gap,” or a lack of qualified candidates. One possible solution, cited by the administration, educators, and manufacturers alike, is the development of community college training programs to cultivate the next generation of manufacturing employees. As a result, many community colleges are entering into partnerships with large companies to prepare their students for a career in the country’s reinvigorated manufacturing sector.
On July 9, Governance Studies at Brookings hosted a half-day conference focused on the growing partnerships between community colleges and the manufacturing sector. Panels focused on the future of workforce development and the role of community colleges in the training of manufacturing workers. How are community colleges working to prepare the next generation of innovators in the manufacturing space and ready young adults to enter the workforce?
The conference marks the fourth annual John Hazen White Forum on Public Policy, which convenes leaders from academia, business, and government to discuss and identify solutions to the United States’ most pressing challenges.
Join the conversation on Twitter at #USmfg and @BrookingsGov
Agenda
The future of workforce development
Darrell M. West
Senior Fellow - Center for Technology Innovation
Douglas Dillon Chair in Governmental Studies
DeRionne Pollard
President - Montgomery College
V. Celeste Carter
Program Director, Division of Undergraduate Education - National Science Foundation
Training workers in manufacturing
Patricia Cohen
Reporter - The New York Times
Amy Cell
Consultant - Community Ventures
Walter Siegenthaler
Executive Vice President - Max Daetwyler Corporation
John White
President, Taco, Inc. - Brookings Trustee
The role of community colleges
Goldie Blumenstyk
Senior Writer - Chronicle of Higher Education
Thomas Bailey
Director, Community College Research Center - Columbia University
John Colborn
Director, Skills for America's Future - Aspen Institute
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