WASHINGTON, DC—Ahead of its 125th anniversary and the 2020 elections, the National Association of Manufacturers recenty announced a member-driven campaign to raise at least $10 million for the newly established “Creators Wanted Fund” to inspire and drive 600,000 Americans to pursue careers in modern manufacturing within the next six years..
The NAM will bring a “Creators Wanted” mobile tour of modern manufacturing to parents and students in 20 to 25 states over 18 weeks, unveil a year-long nationwide digital campaign to recruit new talent to the industry and host a culminating “Making America” Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio in September featuring interactive exhibits, thought leadership forums and entertainment and to showcase the future of modern manufacturing in America.
The campaign aims to cut the skills gap by 600,000 workers by 2025; increase by 25 percent the number of students enrolling in technical and vocational schools; increase by 25 percent the number of students enrolling in apprenticeships and reskilling programs; and raise to 50 percent—from 27 percent—the number of parents who would encourage their children to pursue a career in modern manufacturing. Ingersoll Rand Chairman and CEO Michael Lamach, Emerson Chairman and CEO David Farr and former Fluor Corporation Chairman and CEO David Seaton will co-chair the campaign.
According to a study by The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, the skills gap is expected to leave 2.4 million manufacturing jobs unfilled by 2028. According to the NAM’s First Quarter Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey, more than 70 percent of manufacturers cite the inability to attract skilled workers as their top challenge.
The NAM is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million men and women in the country and contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually.