Industry Recovery Panel Perspectives: Skills for an Inclusive Manufacturing Recovery

An innovative and growing manufacturing base is vital to providing good jobs and securing our economic future. While many of the manufacturing jobs lost in early 2020 have come back, the industry was still down over half a million jobs compared to pre-pandemic levels at year-end.

National Skills Coalition (NSC) and Business Leaders United (BLU) convened a Manufacturing Industry Recovery Panel of leading experts working in local communities. We wanted to learn what an effective, equitable plan to revitalize American manufacturing needs to include. Panelists represent business, labor, education and training organizations, and others working in or with the manufacturing industry.

Key recommendations in this brief offered by the Panel to President Biden and Congress include:

• Prioritize workforce investments and equity in federal recovery efforts
• Invest in equitable onramps to manufacturing career pathways
• Support local solutions through expanded industry partnerships
• Expand short-term training and flexible apprenticeship
• Help the manufacturing workforce adapt to new technologies
• Incorporate talent strategies into federal support for manufacturing ecosystems

NSC and BLU’s four Industry Recovery Panels have been sharing their collective recommendations with Congressional Leadership and Administration officials. Visit our Industry Recovery Panels landing page to learn more about each panel.