From the federal to the local level, the government is supporting new ways to fill the 500,000 available manufacturing jobs that stay open because qualified job applicants are scarce. Companies large and small, making things from sheet metal to complex large machines, are joining with governments in pursuing this solution.

What is that solution? Partnerships between government and industry.

Although much talk takes place at the federal level, the present acrimony in Congress makes anything more than talk unlikely. But America is ingenious finding solutions, and states and cities have paired with manufacturers of all types to offer paid manufacturing internships.

Federal laws

Despite the lag in federal action, Sen. Kristin Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) recently announced new bipartisan legislation, called The Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015. If passed, Gillibrand says, "The legislation will provide qualifying universities grants of $5 million per year, for a four-year period, that will help universities enhance their engineering programs to emphasize manufacturing skills, incentivize partnerships with local manufacturers, increase internship and cooperative education for students, and help more recent graduates launch new manufacturing businesses."

During her remarks, Gillibrand noted: "Manufacturing contributes $1.8 trillion to the American economy annually and manufacturing jobs pay more, contribute more jobs to the local service economy, and the sector has a higher multiplier effect than any other. Yet many manufacturers are unable to fill open positions because prospective employees do not have the requisite training. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers predicts that the number of unfilled manufacturing jobs could increase to 3 million by 2015."

Nevertheless, the law has not yet been passed.

If Congress does eventually pass the bill, it will still take time to establish the program. First, the agency responsible for administering the funds has to make rules before implementing them. Then, processing applications to become a manufacturing university will add more time.

States, cities and towns, along with manufacturers cannot wait. Accordingly, many are acting without federal assistance.

State programs

Kentucky

What do the cities of Louisville and Lexington have in company? Both cities jointly created the Bluegrass Economic Advancement Movement (BEAM). The program is an initiative to end the economic rivalry between the two cities and jointly work on job creation and providing manufacturers with well-trained job candidates to fill today's needs and those to come.

The two cities have more than 100,000 workers combined doing skilled manufacturing work at companies that include Toyota, GE, Ford. In addition, there are around 1,300 smaller businesses in the 75-mile stretch between the two cities that make supplies or distribute goods to the larger manufacturers. These smaller businesses also need workers with the same qualifications as those of the larger companies.

So, the mayor of Lexington and the mayor of Louisville included in BEAM an apprentice-like program that uses the German apprenticeship experience as well as an existing program at the Toyota plant near Lexington. To make sure BEAM worked for students and employers, the two mayors had the Kentucky community college system work closely with a participating group of local manufacturers to create a curriculum to teach young people the manufacturing skills that local businesses wanted.

Students accepted into the program spend half the day in school and half the day interning, also known as apprenticing. They apprentice for five semesters and earn up to $16 per hour. When they finish the program, they have the needed skills for advanced manufacturing work, an associate's degree and no debt.

Program costs will be paid by local businesses, manufacturers and workforce grants that cover both school costs and the cost of the student's wages. Following graduation, students can land jobs with starting pay as high as $60,000.

North Carolina

Another example of local government moving in the direction of insuring an adequate supply of qualified workers for manufacturing is found in North Carolina.

An entity known as the North Carolina Research Institute is a joint effort with sponsors that include:

  • NCWorks
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • The Centralina Workforce Development Board
  • Economic Development Agencies and chambers of commerce of Rowan and Cabarrus counties

Key focus areas of the program are:

  • Deliver training that closes the skill gap between job seekers and available jobs
  • Provide services and systems to more effectively match job seekers and available jobs in the manufacturing sector
  • Improve the image of manufacturing employment among job seekers, students, parents and school staff

Funding is from local businesses who are also financing the program. They will each contribute a $1,000 a year for advertising and a $1,000 fee for each job filled by certified production technicians (CPT). The CPT certificate is what students earn upon completion of the class work.

Kansas

Kansas has also started some creative job-training programs. Wichita, Kansas, is home to a number of important aircraft manufacturing facilities owned by major companies that are an important part of the local economy. When local leaders learned that the aircraft industry in Wichita had problems finding qualified workers, they felt the need for fast action.

The solution was made up of a partnership of local governments, colleges and businesses. Together they formed the National Center for Aviation Training.

The state-of-the-art facility is not a flying school. It is a center that educates people to become part of the aviation manufacturing industry. It has expanded its focus lately to allow high school students to attend thanks to a bill passed by the state legislature that funds technical training for students and offers them the chance to finish dual-credit courses that helps kick-start their careers.

It is a noteworthy achievement to see businesses and schools working as partners with local and state governments to make sure local industry has an excellent workforce.