Even amidst a global pandemic, cities across the country are looking to manufacturing to create good paying jobs, to spur innovation, to build capital, and to drive regional economic development. Manufacturing today is different than it was even ten years ago: increases in computer controlled manufacturing technologies, automated inventory systems, just-in-time manufacturing, along with other Industry 4.0 advances, have made it possible for manufacturers to be more nimble, adaptable, and competitive. And yet while productivity and output increases, these changes also come with challenges. Drastic difference in skill sets on the factory floor, disconnection between business and community, and misunderstandings about careers in manufacturing have led to millions of unfilled jobs and a lack of accessible career pipelines, for communities of color, particularly.
To address these challenges, the Urban Manufacturing Alliance and the Century Foundation have assembled a cohort of eight leading urban workforce development organizations forging inclusion in manufacturing training, businesses, and communities – called Industry & Inclusion 4.0. Together, UMA, TCF, and our Cohort are working together to share and discuss strategies to overcome these issues of inequality and to work towards our goal of helping connect communities of color to good paying jobs and forge a more equitable future for manufacturing — and to share those conversations with practitioners and manufacturers across the country.
Our Cohort’s second learning and discussion topic — learn more about the first learning session here — was Pursuing Equity, Inclusion, and Industrial Rebirth in the Age of COVID-19. The panel included Rhandi Berth, Chief Innovations Officer for the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (also known as Big Step); Autumn Russell, Executive Director of MAGNET, a youth workforce development program in Northeast Ohio; Andrew Stettner, a Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation; and Lee Wellington, Executive Director of the Urban Manufacturing Alliance, and was moderated by Dr. Ron Williams, Assistant Professor of Business at Coppin State University and UMA Board Director. The discussion touched on many topics and challenges that manufacturers and workforce development organizations face today, some of which existed pre-pandemic and other issues that are arising from the context of today.
Together, these panelists discussed how we can connect the new awareness of the important role manufacturing plays in our economy and society to the need to correct the economic inequities communities of color experience. The following are key takeaways from the panel discussion and webinar.
Have awareness about your industry’s and your communities’ needs. It is vital to connect communities while building industries. This can be done by connecting existing educational organizations — like high schools and community colleges — with established supporters of manufacturers — like the NIST MEP/IRC network. But you have to go beyond making connections and introductions.
- Bringing students of color (of any age) that live in low income, high poverty communities from the educational environment into the working environment requires an awareness of historic barriers and individual life circumstances. A holistic approach to mentorships can play a big role in creating a fostering environment – and mentoring can go beyond just on the job guidance. Pairing students with mentors that come from similar communities or backgrounds, or that have been prepared with cultural competency training — as well as providing for basic needs like transportation, creating opportunities to share life experiences, and offering recommendations for other services in the community — can make the difference between a student completing training and finding a meaningful career path, and a student that feels left out.
- Making sure on-the-job training is accessible and the right fit for the student plays another role in increasing completion of workforce training. I&I Cohort members are showing how it is possible to provide scholarships and payment tuition vouchers, thereby removing one big barrier to participation. It is also important to match the industry needs with the training requirements. A program that possibly “over educates” extends the time in class (getting credentialed and trained). A longer training period can decrease the ability for someone to stay committed to a program.
- Clarifying and illustrating career development opportunities goes a long way to getting more people interested in skills development and career pathways. In many states, apprenticeship programs are paid from start to finish making it possible to make a career transition — but not everyone knows this, nor has access to information to do their own career development research. Providing insights about how credentials work, how a journeyworker’s card is transferable, and the difference between associate’s and bachelor’s degrees can open up the initial understanding of what is possible and provide new gateways to opportunities.
Intermediaries play a big role in creating change and new resilient systems. Developing new systems of equitable industrial development requires a community-wide effort. This effort has to be more innovative, more creative, and more collaborative in order to avoid recreating systemic barriers (e.g. racism, implicit bias, etc…). To do this the process, and therefore the starting point, of developing programs must be approached intentionally and collaboratively, with heavy emphasis on evaluating the impact of programs, and adjusting as necessary.
Intermediaries have an important role to play in bringing together stakeholders, creating open space for everyone to contribute, and identifying when racism and inequality may be creeping into the conversation and decision making process. This requires intermediaries to have the added role of educator and train stakeholders about inequity, the importance of inclusivity, and support learning and change. Alternatively, it might be necessary, and even preferable, to partner with outside, expert organizations who can provide that training for your own staff, your partners, and your students.
Workforce training organizations should also look at the standards set by states, regional industries, and unions to evaluate opportunities for new workers to find the right fit and path for them to complete the requirements. For example, rather than blanketly stating an apprenticeship requires 3000 hours of training, break down what hours need to be within a manufacturing facility versus how many can be completed with education partners which may offer more flexible hours of learning, increasing a student’s ability to work around non-work related issues or to allow for job transition (learning on nights and weekends because someone can’t leave one job before having another lined up).
Photo credit: Manufacturing Renaissance