The Manufacturing Institute

10/20/2026

North Carolina is a manufacturing powerhouse, with more than 460,000 workers generating over $100 billion in annual output. Keeping that edge depends on a skilled workforce, and manufacturers, community colleges and regional leaders all have a role in building it.

In a new op-ed, MI President Carolyn Lee and Charles Little, General Manager of Smurfit Westrock’s Winston-Salem facility, say a proven model already exists: FAME, an earn-and-learn apprenticeship program. North Carolina’s First in Flight FAME chapter is a talent hub for eight manufacturers and trains 60 advanced maintenance technicians a year. Nationwide, 95% of FAME graduates move into full-time work.

But the skills manufacturers need keep changing. As AI adoption grows across the industry, 82% of manufacturers say their workers lack the skills to use it effectively, according to the Manufacturing Leadership Council. To help close that gap, MI’s AI Skills Initiative offers free, online training for current and future workers to understand AI and apply it to advanced manufacturing.

With proven models and new training tools in place, the next step is action. “Employers cannot passively wait for prepared talent to emerge from traditional education systems; they must actively lead,” write Lee and Little.

Read the full op-ed:

According to research by the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, if the skills gap is not addressed, manufacturers could see 1.9 million jobs go unfilled by 2033.

10/19/2026

The 2026 Workforce Summit is just a week away!

Thank you to our Gold Sponsors for helping make it possible: Amatrol Inc., Colonial Life, Eli Lilly and Company, GE Appliances, Indeavor Solutions and Johnson & Johnson. Their support puts skills at scale on the agenda for manufacturers across the country.

It's not too late to join the conversation! Register today for manufacturing's premier workforce event, October 26-28 in Indianapolis: https://hubs.li/Q04BgwrQ0

10/16/2026

We are excited to have Smurfit Westrock as the Welcome Sponsor of the Workforce Summit!

Smurfit Westrock is supporting our Welcome Reception, where attendees can kick off the Summit with drinks, light bites and great conversation, connecting with fellow attendees, speakers and industry leaders before the programming begins.

Thank you to Smurfit Westrock for your continued partnership. Register to join us at manufacturing's premier workforce event: https://hubs.li/Q04yYskN0

10/15/2026

We are proud to receive a grant from the GE Aerospace Foundation as part of Lifting Futures, its flagship workforce training program to support the entire aerospace industry.

Their $300,000 investment in Heroes Make America will help highly skilled, military-connected talent tap into manufacturing careers through the expansion of programs like the Manufacturing Readiness Badges. This supports not only GE Aerospace's workforce, but the aerospace manufacturing workforce as a whole.

This builds on GE Aerospace's strong commitment to the military community. In 2025, the GE Aerospace Foundation supported Heroes MAKE America to launch an accelerated Airframe and Powerplant Prep Course in North Carolina. After launching earlier this year, the program has already trained two cohorts of transitioning servicemembers and veterans.

We are grateful to be part of Lifting Futures' broader goal to train 10,000 skilled manufacturing workers by 2030 and help close the manufacturing skills gap in the aerospace industry.

Read more: https://hubs.li/Q04Bb-9Y0

4 local organizations to receive support as part of Lifting Futures' goal to train 10K across aerospace industry

10/14/2026

Yesterday, we joined Smurfit Westrock in North Carolina for the second stop of our "Training for the Future" roadshow, a tour celebrating the launch of our AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite.

We were proud to highlight the FAME program as an employer-led apprenticeship program that delivers real results for manufacturers and their future workers. During the event and tours of Smurfit Westrock’s Winston-Salem facility, attendees heard from FAME students and graduates about the role Smurfit Westrock’s FAME investment played in their lives.

“FAME equips future manufacturing workers with the skills and experience they need to succeed from day one. These programs also help us build a strong local workforce that keeps our operations running safely and efficiently,” said Smurfit Westrock VP of Operational Excellence Travis McDonough.

Thank you to Smurfit Westrock, Mandy Burnette and Robby Johnson for your continued partnership in workforce development!

Get started with the AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite today: https://hubs.li/Q04B8KHd0

10/09/2026

Thank you to CareerWise USA for being an Influencer Sponsor of the 2026 Workforce Summit!

In their breakout session, CareerWise will share how Colorado turned one company's training academy into a shared resource for more than 20 manufacturers. They'll break down how a state grant, a nonprofit intermediary and a coalition of manufacturers worked together to build a critical maintenance technician pipeline.

We're grateful for their support and are excited to see them in Indianapolis later this month.

Register to join us at manufacturing's premier workforce event: https://hubs.li/Q04zDky80

10/08/2026

AI is changing manufacturing, from how products are designed and processes are improved to how people work on the factory floor. But its success will depend on whether workers have the skills to use it.

In a new op-ed for the Washington Reporter, MI President Carolyn Lee makes the case that the next industrial era belongs to AI-skilled workers, and that preparing the workforce for that future needs to start now.

For the Manufacturing Institute, that means making AI skills a core part of workforce development. The new AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite is one way MI is putting that approach into practice, giving current and future manufacturing workers a practical foundation for understanding and working with AI.

The goal is not to turn every worker into an AI expert. It is to help workers build the skills and confidence to use AI in their roles as the technology becomes a larger part of the manufacturing workplace.

Read more:

America is spending billions to automate its factories, but often, the most critical piece is missing from discussions about manufacturing investments and…

10/06/2026

Thank you to Caterpillar for being a Premier Sponsor of the 2026 Workforce Summit!

In their breakout session, Caterpillar will share what it really takes to turn enterprise workforce strategy into on-the-ground impact. Drawing on insights from their Building the Future Workforce Initiative, they will explore the coordination and collaboration required to develop workforce solutions that are relevant, accessible and scalable—and how employers, educators and community organizations can work together to strengthen talent pipelines and create pathways to future-ready careers.

We can't wait to hear their insights in Indianapolis! Register for the Summit to be part of the conversation:
https://hubs.li/Q04yYm0Q0

10/02/2026

Happy MFG Day! Today, manufacturers across the country will open their doors to students, parents, educators and community leaders to show what modern manufacturing really look like.

In Peachtree City, Georgia, MI President Carolyn Lee and Mark Rayfield, CEO of Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed, are welcoming more than 100 students and educators from Fayette County Public Schools to a Saint-Gobain facility. Students will tour the plant where CertainTeed roofing shingles are made and see the people, careers and skills that comprise modern manufacturing.

1.9 million manufacturing jobs risk going unfilled by 2033, according to our study with Deloitte. Events like these are critical in closing that gap, inspiring the next generation to see themselves in our industry.

Thank you to Saint-Gobain for sponsoring MFG Day 2026.

If you're hosting or attending an event today, share your photos and stories with !

10/01/2026

Ask most people what manufacturing training looks like and they'll picture machine operation, safety certifications and quality control. Emotional intelligence tends to get left out.

Westminster Tool, Inc. closed that gap by building emotional intelligence skills into its employee onboarding and continuous training. The result? Stronger communication empathy and resilience across teams, a healthier workplace culture and improved engagement and retention.

Westminster Tool President Hillary Thomas will share how they did it at this year's Workforce Summit. Join us Oct. 26–28 in Indianapolis, for these insights and more.

Read more about the session: https://hubs.li/Q04yDzMF0

Register for the 2026 Workforce Summit: https://hubs.li/Q04yDzLV0