Community Networks
The needs of manufacturers are increasingly localized. Developing the capacity to rapidly respond to local needs, changes, and deficiencies requires an engaged community of business, education, and civic stakeholders. Successful alignment for strengthened manufacturing workforce pipelines is achieved when business, education, and community leaders establish collective goals and commit to plans of action for achieving shared community and economic development strategies.
Checklist
Bringing the right people and organizations together around manufacturing and education opportunities can be difficult. These are key questions to ask as you start to think what a partnership might look like in your community.
Champions:Who are the key partners we need to help champion these strategies? Be as specific as possible.
Existing Assets: What existing assets could communities build upon in implementing the alignment strategies?
Resources: If the alignment strategies require new or additional resources, what might they be and where might the community get them?
Barriers: Are there one or two things that could be a barrier to implementing the alignment strategies?
Resources
The North Carolina Advanced Manufacturing Alliance is an ideal example of education and industry partnering with nonprofits and local workforce boards. With a vision of “accelerating education and training of a high performance workforce for careers in advanced manufacturing based on industry needs,” NCAMA is working to develop the capacity of North Carolina communities to respond to local needs by engaging schools, community colleges, industry, and local stakeholders. For more information on NCAMA and to find a participating community college near you, visit