Summit addresses workforce challenges.

Press Release Summary:



The Manufacturing Institute, in partnership with Aerospace Industries Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and National Aviation Consortium, hosted the National Aviation, Aerospace and Defense Workforce Summit in Washington, D.C. Event brought industry leaders together in forum to publicize challenges faced by aerospace and defense industry in finding and training 21st century skilled technical workforce and identified best practices to address the need.



Original Press Release:



The National Aviation, Aerospace and Defense Workforce Summit Addresses Workforce Challenges



Summit identified next steps for employer action to close the industry skills gap



WASHINGTON, – Today, The Manufacturing Institute, in partnership with the Aerospace Industries Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and the National Aviation Consortium, hosted the National Aviation, Aerospace and Defense Workforce Summit at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.



“By 2025, the skills gap is expected to result in 2 million manufacturing jobs going unfilled. The Summit helped bring industry leaders together from around the country to address this issue and codify solutions,” The Manufacturing Institute President Jennifer McNelly said.



“Education, business and industry must continue to collaborate at an unprecedented level in order to provide workforce training in an accelerated, responsive and creative mode of delivery in order to meet the needs of industry and provide a trained workforce that is globally competitive,” Wichita Area Technical College Interim President Sheree Utash said.



The looming shortage of skilled workers threatens the future competitiveness of the U.S. aviation and aerospace industry. Almost 40 percent of aviation and aerospace employees are eligible for retirement today. Fortunately the aerospace industry has been proactive in the creation of solutions to address this problem. Successful partnerships have been created between industry, its industry associations, its educational partners and the Federal and State government. This event brought national attention to the issue and expanded employer engagement.



This event brought industry leaders together in a half-­day forum to publicize the challenges faced by the aerospace and defense industry in finding and training the 21st century skilled technical workforce and identified best practices, such as the National Aviation Consortium, to address the need.



“Having a well-­educated, highly skilled and innovative workforce is a top concern for AIA member company CEOs”, said David Melcher, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Aerospace Industries Association. “This summit successfully examined our industry’s skill gaps, identified the specific skills in greatest demand today and shared useful information about the best programs available to address these hiring needs.”



“General aviation manufacturers support initiatives and partnerships at the high school, community college, and university levels that inspire, train, and nurture our future workforce of engineers, manufacturing, and maintenance technicians,” General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Pete Bunce said. “This commitment will ensure we continue to have highly trained and highly skilled employees for years to come.”



The National Center for Aviation Training’s managing partner, Wichita Area Technical College (WATC), is serving as the lead institution for the National Aviation Consortium project, a $15M U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant. WATC, Edmonds Community College, Guildford Technical Community College, Ivy Tech Community College and Tulsa Community College are committed to prioritizing the alignment of education and workforce to meet the job demand for the aerospace and defense industry.



About The Manufacturing Institute

The Manufacturing Institute (the Institute) is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. As a non-partisan organization, the Institute is committed to delivering leading-­edge information and services to the nation's manufacturers. The Institute is the authority on the attraction, qualification and development of world-­class manufacturing talent. For more information, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.



About the National Aviation Consortium

The mission of the National Aviation Consortium (NAC) is to create a world class aviation workforce utilizing industry standards, accelerated training, and best-in-­class technology-­enabled curriculum. On September 19, 2012 the US Department of Labor announced the awardees of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) round two grants. The National Aviation Consortium was launched with an award of 14.9 million dollars over four years to focus on cutting edge online curriculum in the aviation manufacturing industry. For more information, please visit: www.naccareers.com.



About Aerospace Industries Association

Founded in 1919 shortly after the birth of flight, the Aerospace Industries Association is the most authoritative and influential trade association representing the nation’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military and business aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aircraft systems, space systems, land systems, ships, homeland and cybersecurity systems, aircraft engines, materiel and related components, equipment services and information technology.



About General Aviation Manufacturers Association

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is an international trade association representing more than 80 of the world's leading manufacturers of general aviation airplanes and rotorcraft, engines, avionics, components and related services. GAMA's members also operate repair stations, fixed based operations, pilot and maintenance training facilities and they manage fleets of aircraft. For more information, please visit www.gama.aero.



Contact:

Cristina Crawford

The Manufacturing Institute

(202) 6373404

ccrawford@nam.org

 

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