Modern Makers

Modern Makers are individuals whose sense of purpose embodies the Manufacturing USA mission to secure the future of U.S. manufacturing through innovation, education, and collaboration. We celebrate their inspirational yet relatable stories from former high school teachers to executives, who are at work in our ecosystem at Manufacturing USA institutes and member companies.

Meet the Modern Makers

Meet the Modern Makers who were nominated by the institutes and their member companies and help power the Manufacturing USA ecosystem:

Graphic of Sam Pankratz with a dark blue background and his name in large white font.

We hope Modern Makers' stories inspire you to consider a career in manufacturing. There is an estimated 4 million manufacturing positions to fill by 2030.

Infographic depicting the need to fill 1.9 million manufacturing jobs by 2033. Graphic provided by: Deloitte analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and estimates of private investments from Invest.gov

Pathways to Manufacturing Careers

Today's manufacturing jobs offer high-paying opportunities to work with cutting-edge technologies in a wide range of fast-growing fields. Driven by a renewed investment in U.S. manufacturing innovation, the growth potential for these jobs is high – more than 1.3 million manufacturing jobs have been added to the U.S. economy over the past decade. These jobs require skills that many Americans already have and don't necessarily need a college or advanced degree to do, making it easier to upgrade to a manufacturing career than you might think. Check out this resource to access the workforce development offerings of the entire Manufacturing USA Network.

Three Ways to Start a Career in Manufacturing:

Learn More

Explore advanced manufacturing careers and resources through the institutes’ websites or others in your region.

Find Training

Attend workshops, open houses, find courses, internships, apprenticeships, and more.

Apply

Pursue a rewarding career in advanced manufacturing through countless open positions.

Hear from the Modern Makers

Graphic to click and play the IMTS SmartForce Student Summit 2024 Modern Makers panel. Blue background, white font, with black and white photos of Olivia Morales, Rodrigo Perez, Kim Lemay, and Cassondra Blasioli

At the IMTS SmartForce 2024 Student Summit Manufacturing USA's brought together three Modern Makers. Olivia Morales of CESMII, Rodrigo Perez of MxD, and Kim Lemay of BioFabUSA spoke to students about how they discovered advanced manufacturing as a career, what they wish they could tell their high school selves, and advice on skills needed for high-tech jobs of the future.

Go to Raised by Women Redefining Normal

Raised by Women Redefining Normal

March 28, 2025 | CESMII

Olivia Morales: A manufacturing landscape that is future proof. International Women’s Day is, in many ways, just another day. It’s not a big holiday that garners a lot of attention, and is likely... Read More

Go to Career Advice From Inspiring Women Engineers

Career Advice From Inspiring Women Engineers

March 19, 2025 | ARM

These three women engineers are not only leaders in their fields, but are also strong advocates for STEM education who are dedicated to mentoring the next generation of women in manufacturing. In high... Read More

Graphic with headshots of Tambre Paster, Helena Cristobal, and Carley Mollica

Go to Gen Z in Manufacturing: Ditch Authority and Lead With Empathy

Gen Z in Manufacturing: Ditch Authority and Lead With Empathy

February 25, 2025 | REMADE

Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing , a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for... Read More