It’s key to developing the next generation of manufacturing workers

I recently asked a roomful of eighth graders, “Close your eyes and picture yourself walking down a street. You come across a manufacturing plant. What do you see?”

They imagined broken sidewalks, weeds, tall fences, and ugly brick buildings emitting thick, black smoke. Their responses were familiar — I’d heard them before in other classrooms. They were repeating negative stereotypes that have dominated the storyline about manufacturing jobs for decades.

This representation couldn’t be further from the truth. But its long-term impact on recruitment is very real. It’s time to change the narrative. 

There’s a major disconnect between students’ perceptions and the reality of advanced manufacturing in New York state. We should open young people’s eyes to industries such as microelectronics and semiconductors, whose workers are in brand new, state-of-the-art facilities with multimillion-dollar equipment. It’s a high-tech, fast-moving environment with well-paying jobs. 

Many of these skilled jobs are going unfilled, contributing to a workforce shortage that, if unaddressed, could hamper New York state’s ability to take advantage of increasing demand for advanced manufacturing production.

At the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing (AIM) — the Mohawk Valley region’s center for the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership working with Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) — we hear these concerns frequently. Across the board, small- to mid-sized enterprises in our geographic footprint struggle to fill open positions as baby boomers retire and the next generations of talented men and women overlook the manufacturing sector.

Addressing these labor shortages means pushing back against misperceptions, showcasing start-of-the-art facilities, and demonstrating that advanced manufacturing is an industry suited to build an interesting and stimulating career.

At AIM and MVCC, we manage two programs for companies to help them build their workforce: the SUNY Apprenticeship Program (SAP) and the New York College Apprenticeship Network (NYCAN). Both involve an earn-and-learn model, where companies give their employees flexibility both to work and attend related instruction at local community colleges. The program, which covers tuition costs, allows companies to fill high-skill and high-demand positions while offering new employees a path to earning those advanced qualifications. 

Along with cultivating the talent already within a company’s ranks, the apprenticeship programs serve as a recruitment tool for new hires. Younger generations want to work someplace where they feel valued. They want to feel like they’re making an impact by contributing to their organization. Formal participation in apprenticeship programs demonstrates to potential workers a company’s commitment to employee growth and wellbeing — attributes that attract Gen Z applicants.

But formal apprenticeship programs are just one piece of the puzzle. Manufacturers that have successfully addressed workforce issues employ an ongoing, multi-layered approach. In addition to apprenticeships, they connect with community colleges, high schools, and BOCES programs. They participate in school visits known as “Manufacturing Days” and attend career fairs, speaking directly to students to change their perspectives on career opportunities available in advanced manufacturing.

They connect with regional New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers, like AIM, which are teaming with experts available to help guide and support small to mid-sized manufacturing companies.

In other words, these employers are showing young people what manufacturing in New York state is all about — exposing them to facilities and careers that capture the imagination. To hear it from someone like me, in a classroom, is one thing; to experience it is another. 

It takes time to change perceptions, but companies investing in all the pieces — from SUNY Apprenticeship Programs to getting in front of the next generation of employees — will help manufacturing write a new story, one that is more reflective of the advanced nature of the work and more enticing to a younger workforce.      

Cory Albrecht is the director of the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing (AIM) at Mohawk Valley Community College.