MxD announced today that it will join a new national project led by The Century Foundation (TCF), the Urban Manufacturing Alliance (UMA), and seven other urban workforce development organizations concentrated in the Midwest. The groups, selected through a competitive process and funded by Lumina Foundation, will strategize solutions to the U.S. manufacturing sector’s national recruitment challenges, deepen relationships between employers and communities, and develop credential-based training programs to forge a more racially inclusive future for manufacturing.
“MxD is pleased to contribute our expertise to this important national effort and to learn from the other organizations in the cohort on how to recruit, train, and ensure the success of people of color in manufacturing,” said Lizabeth Stuck, senior director of MxD Learn, the institute’s workforce development arm. “We are preparing for the future of work in manufacturing by equipping learners with digital and cybersecurity skills, from high school students to current practitioners. Racial equity is an essential part of the conversation at every level.”
The coalition launches its effort at a pivotal time for U.S. manufacturing and the nation. As the country’s manufacturing capacity recently shifted to produce millions of pieces of medical and personal protective equipment (PPE) to fight and recover from a deadly pandemic, COVID-19 has brought renewed attention to the need for a strong U.S. manufacturing sector. Pre-pandemic estimates indicated that the United States needed an additional 2.4 million manufacturing workers over the next decade.