Erie manufacturers are inviting regional leaders to an important event on October 1 at the Bayfront Convention Center. In conjunction with the Manufacturer & Business Association’s Manufacturing Day celebration, the Erie Regional Manufacturer Partnership (ERMP) is organizing a Manufacturing Workforce Summit to address the most critical issue they face. With more than 22,000 jobs, manufacturing is a key industry sector in Erie County. The manufacturing sector is at risk, however, due to a workforce approaching retirement and a lack of interested young adults. Today, the preeminent variable for success is people. Manufacturers are looking for talented individuals who have a commitment to set and execute plans that create value.
“For the Erie area to survive, it is imperative that we retain, grow, and strengthen manufacturing,” says Roger Schultz, manager of Technical Training at LORD Corporation and vice chairperson of ERMP. “It is only with a continuous supply of individuals who have the basic skills and the desire to embrace lifelong learning that this will occur.”
The Erie Regional Manufacturer Partnership was formed in 2014 by a diverse group of 20 Erie County manufacturers to raise awareness of manufacturing career opportunities in the region, work with education and training providers to create more seamless career pathways, and connect individuals to these opportunities. Recognizing manufacturers were struggling to find qualified workers to fill positions, the organization focuses on workforce development activities designed to develop a pipeline of skilled workers to support regional manufacturers.
Read more in the September 2015 edition of the Business Magazine.
