Workforce News

Toyota has provided its manufacturing team members with high-quality childcare options for decades. This week, it announced a major expansion in its offerings, revealing plans for four new childcare centers for parents working at plants in North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia.

How it works: The centers, which will all open by 2027, will be managed by third-party childcare providers and offer schedules that align with plant operations, so that team members can go to work confident that their children are well looked after.

• “At Toyota, we know it is paramount for working parents to have access to quality childcare, and manufacturing is not always a nine-to-five job,” said Denita Neville, vice president of Toyota’s corporate shared services.
• “Offering childcare motivates and empowers our team members, makes our industry more inclusive and helps our smallest learners of today become our biggest leaders of tomorrow.”

A long history: These four new centers will join two other facilities that have been in operation for years.

• Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky, plant has offered round-the-clock childcare since way back in 1993. Its Indiana center is also well-established, having opened its doors in 2003, and is undergoing an expansion that will be completed this September. (Check out our previous article on these centers here.)

• All of Toyota’s sites are or will be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which establishes standards for high-quality childcare.

Other offerings: Toyota also provides other childcare options, partnering with Bright Horizons to help team members find regular childcare and backup options for emergency care, among other services.

Rave reviews: “As a working mom, it’s been such a relief to have childcare that supports my work schedule,” said Patricia Pastrana Arroyo, a group leader at Toyota Indiana, said about the Indiana center.

• “The early education program is exceptional. The teachers are nurturing, attentive and genuinely caring toward each child. They keep parents informed with daily reports, pictures and updates, which helps me feel connected to my son even when I’m not there.”

Partnering with the MI: As an active partner of the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s workforce development and education affiliate, Toyota has contributed to the MI’s efforts to bolster the manufacturing industry’s childcare offerings.

• Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, a joint venture between Mazda Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation, helped the MI formulate its influential whitepaper about childcare in the industry, “Flexibility Approaches for Manufacturing Production Workers,” which found that companies that provided workers with the flexibility to meet personal obligations, such as child care, reported greater success.
• Toyota also participated in an MI panel for manufacturing workforce leaders interested in expanding their own companies’ benefits.

The last word: “Toyota’s investment in childcare sets a powerful example of how manufacturers can meet the real needs of their workforce,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee.

• “Access to quality, flexible childcare not only supports working parents, it strengthens our industry’s ability to attract and retain talent. By removing one of the biggest hurdles to workforce participation, Toyota is helping to ensure that more people can build meaningful, long-term careers in manufacturing.”

The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce development and education affiliate of the NAM—announced that Novonesis, a global leader in biosolutions, will serve as the platinum sponsor for MFG Day 2025, an initiative of the MI.

What it means: Novonesis will host the MI’s MFG Day event on Oct. 2 at their North American headquarters in Franklinton, North Carolina.

• In addition, Novonesis sites across the country will host other events in honor of MFG Day, a monthlong celebration of manufacturing excellence during which students, parents and educators can explore the industry’s many exciting career paths.
• Hundreds of other companies throughout the U.S. will join Novonesis and the MI in this celebration, hosting events that highlight a vast array of industry sectors, job types, educational opportunities and much more.

What they’ll see: Novonesis will welcome 200 local high school students, key educational institutions and biotech partners on Oct. 2, as well as state and national leadership for an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at Novonesis’s laboratories and production facility.

• These visitors will get to see scientists developing biosolutions for use in food, fuel, household products, supplements, animal health and nutrition, agriculture and more.

What we’re saying: “As an innovative biomanufacturer, Novonesis is a perfect company to headline MFG Day. Its state-of-the-art labs and facilities showcase everything modern manufacturing has to offer as a career path,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee.

• “In a study  co-written by MI and Deloitte last year, we found that the manufacturing sector will have more than 3.8 million job openings by 2033. This shortage is an existential threat to our industry. MFG Day is an opportunity for our industry to start building the workforce of tomorrow by educating students about rewarding career opportunities that they might not otherwise consider.”
• “We thank Novonesis for showing students everything our sector has to offer by opening its doors and inspiring students—not just in North Carolina, but nationwide.”

A long history: Manufacturers have been opening their doors on MFG Day since 2012, in one of the industry’s foremost efforts to attract and shape the next generation of talent.

• By stepping inside manufacturing facilities, students experience—up close and in action—what modern manufacturing really looks like.
• Last year, MFG Day boasted more than 700 registered events nationwide, inspiring thousands of students to imagine themselves in a wide range of creative, high-tech careers.

The last word: “The future of manufacturing—and biomanufacturing in particular—depends on our ability to inspire and prepare the next generation for the high-tech, high-impact careers ahead,” said Tue Micheelsen, Novonesis North America president and head of global consumer health.

• “For decades, Novonesis has helped strengthen America’s manufacturing workforce by supporting STEM education, advancing training programs like BioWork, and creating hands-on learning opportunities that connect talent with real-world applications.”
• “Through Manufacturing Day, we’re opening our doors to students and communities across the country to spark curiosity, challenge outdated perceptions, and show that the innovations shaping the world can start in their own backyards. These efforts aren’t just about building a pipeline of skilled workers. They’re about helping the U.S. lead the future of biomanufacturing.”

California’s manufacturing community has several reasons to celebrate.

What’s going on: On July 28, California marked a major milestone: the launch of the first-ever Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education chapter west of the Rockies. Reedley College hosted both the chapter’s debut and FAME Signing Day, celebrating students who are beginning their journeys in advanced manufacturing.

• California Representatives Jim Fong and Jim Costa were on hand at Reedley on signing day, when the new Central Valley FAME Chapter was announced.
• Students in the new chapter will work part-time jobs this year at manufacturing companies while taking manufacturing-focused classes on campus.

The background: FAME is the highly successful workforce development program founded in 2010 by Toyota and now run entirely by the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s 501c3 workforce development and education affiliate.

Years in the making: The new chapter’s establishment was the result of four years of collaboration and commitment.

• Four years ago, Fresno County Economic Development Corporation was part of a cohort that received technical assistance from the MI, learning how to apply for the Good Jobs challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
• Three years ago, Fresno County EDC was awarded $23 million, allowing it to expand its work with the San Joaquin Valley Manufacturing Alliance and other regional partners.
• In 2023, Reedley College piloted a short-term manufacturing training program and started a regional listening tour for potential employers.
• Last year, dozens of manufacturers in the valley gathered to determine their training needs and start a local FAME chapter.

The MI says: “This milestone proves what’s possible when education and industry work together: a stronger talent pipeline, better career pathways and a brighter future for manufacturing in California and nationwide,” said Gardner Carrick, chief program officer at the Manufacturing Institute. “It’s proof that when industry and education come together with a shared vision, we can transform communities.”

Get involved: Learn more here about FAME and how you can tap into this global-best training resource. And don’t forget to follow FAME USA on LinkedIn.

Manufacturers are leading the charge on artificial intelligence—but unlocking its full potential depends on training workers to use AI technologies and expanding the talent pipeline. By embracing AI and equipping people with the right skills, the industry can help fill hundreds of thousands of open jobs, the NAM told Axios in a recent interview (subscription).

What’s going on: NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons and Manufacturing Institute President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee spoke with Axios’ Ben Berkowitz about the current “glittering need” for manufacturing employees and how the sector can attract, train and keep team members. (The MI is the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate.)

• “These are high-tech, 21st-century, well-paying, rewarding roles,” Timmons said. “Some require advanced degrees, some a four-year degree and some just a high school diploma.”

Why it’s important: Manufacturing has been averaging about 450,000 open positions every month for the past year, Timmons continued.

• “Looking ahead, if we don’t act now, we’re facing about 2 million unfilled manufacturing jobs by 2033,” he told Berkowitz, citing a recent study by the MI and Deloitte.

What must be done: The answer? Training and partnerships—the right kind, Lee said.

• “Manufacturers … recognize that we need new forms of training and that schools—K–12, higher ed and postsecondary institutions—need to integrate AI into their curriculums. And we are seeing that happen in parts of the country.”
• The MI is working with companies to create programs to train both the current and future generations of workers.
• “The reality is, today’s AI will be surpassed quickly,” Lee continued. “So we need people who are ready now—with skills like prompting, systems thinking and the ability to work alongside AI.”

Misperceptions: Though it pays well and offers exciting, cutting-edge career opportunities, manufacturing still suffers from outdated perceptions among the general populace, according to Timmons and Lee. But that can be fixed, they said.

• The FAME USA apprenticeship-style program, founded by Toyota and now operated by the MI, has chapters in 16 states, Lee told Berkowitz.
• “[W]hen we go out to recruit for these roles, the interest is huge—because students realize they’re learning high-demand, cutting-edge skills in a job with long-term security and strong pay,” she said, adding that a 2020 study found that members of the original FAME class in Kentucky were earning an average salary of $95,000 within five years of completing the program.
• “When Jay and I go out and talk to students—especially during Manufacturing Day events—once they hear the pay potential and understand the work, interest skyrockets.”

Not on the sidelines: When it comes to AI, manufacturers aren’t simply watching events unfold, the NAM and MI told Axios.

• “We’re helping shape the future of AI,” Timmons said. “We’re using [AI] tools to expand capacity, drive investment, create jobs and grow wages right here in the U.S.”

A lookback: According to the latest report from the Manufacturing Leadership Council—the digital transformation division of the NAM—51% of manufacturers stated they already use AI, but 82% cite a lack of AI-ready skills as the top workforce challenge. The NAM recently proposed a series of policy recommendations for policymakers to drive AI development and adoption in manufacturing, which includes a recommendation on developing the manufacturing workforce of the AI age by supporting training programs and career and technical education institutions.

The Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate, has released a blueprint for much-needed changes to federal workforce policy.

• This framework is the manufacturing industry’s response to President Trump’s Executive Order 14278, which calls for the modernization of the federal workforce system and the expansion of employer-led apprenticeship opportunities.

Manufacturers’ voices: The MI spent months consulting with manufacturers across the country as it formulated its recommendations. Firms of all sizes and sectors, in both rural and urban locations, told the same story: too few workers with the necessary skills are applying for the many open jobs in the industry, and this shortage has become a threat to America’s economic health.

• These testimonials echo previous findings from the MI: A landmark 2024 study it produced with Deloitte found that the U.S. manufacturing sector will face 3.8 million job openings by 2033—more than half of which may go unfilled without substantial investment in workforce development.

A policy update: To remedy this dire situation, the MI is recommending a slate of new policies to the Departments of Labor, Education and Commerce to help inform their own recommendations to the White House. Among other actions, it advises federal policymakers to:

• Promote employer participation in program design and delivery to ensure training reflects real-time industry needs;
• Simplify and stabilize access to funding for employer-led training initiatives, particularly for small and medium-sized manufacturers; and
• Expand support for incumbent worker training to help manufacturers invest in upskilling their current workforce and retaining talent.

Apprenticeship reform: The MI also offers specific recommendations for creating and enhancing employer-based apprenticeship programs. Policymakers should:

• Support flexible work-based learning models, including apprenticeships by right-sizing the regulatory scheme and investing in program development and expansion;
• Incentivize employer-responsive organizations to serve as apprenticeship intermediaries to assist employers in launching and managing programs; and
• Expand financial incentives for employers to create and operate apprenticeships.

Read the whole thing: You can read the MI’s full list of recommendations for policymakers here.

Hands-on experience: The MI’s recommendations are informed by its own expertise in running a nationwide apprenticeship program.

• The MI manages the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME USA), founded by Toyota, which has become the new American model for manufacturing skills training.
• With nearly 500 employers participating across 46 locations in 16 states, FAME has graduated more than 2,700 students, has nearly 1,500 students currently enrolled and boasts a 90% job placement rate.

The MI says: “It’s more important than ever that we ensure manufacturers in the U.S. have the talent they need for today and tomorrow—talent that is prepared with the skills necessary to compete,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee.

• “The United States has long faced a structural workforce shortage, and we applaud the Trump administration for recognizing that the federal workforce development infrastructure needs to be streamlined and focused on supporting manufacturers’ and employers’ talent needs.”

Like many manufacturing sectors, the aerospace industry is facing an alarming workforce shortage: its ranks of certified mechanics are aging rapidly, and the sector needs many more young people to fill available jobs (CNBC).

By the numbers: “The average age of a certified aircraft mechanic in the U.S. is 54, and 40% of them are over the age of 60, according to a joint 2024 report from the Aviation Technician Education Council and consulting firm Oliver Wyman, which cites Federal Aviation Administration data.”

• “The U.S. will be short 25,000 aircraft technicians by 2028, according to the report.”

High-paying jobs: The industry offers excellent salaries, an inducement for prospective employees, CNBC points out.

• “Median pay for aircraft technicians or mechanics was $79,140 a year in the U.S. in 2024, compared with a nationwide median income of $49,500, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

Manufacturing as a whole: The aerospace industry’s worker shortage is part of a larger labor crisis in manufacturing, which could need as many as 3.8 million new employees by 2033, according to a Deloitte and Manufacturing Institute study from last year.

• The study found that 1.9 million jobs could be left unfilled, underscoring the urgency of attracting more young people to the industry.

MI at work: Through initiatives like Heroes MAKE America, the MI, the workforce development and education affiliate of the NAM, is helping veterans and other Americans with applicable skills transition into jobs in the industry.

• HMA prepares transitioning service members and members of the military community for manufacturing careers.

Heroes in aerospace: The MI’s partners include major aerospace firms Textron Aviation and Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. Earlier this year, HMA launched a new FAA Airframe & Powerplant certification training program to help fill the critical industry need for A&P mechanics.

• The program is offered at two locations. The first is in Wichita, Kansas, near McConnell Air Force Base, supported by Textron Aviation and delivered in partnership with Wichita State University’s Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology.
• The second location is in Georgia near Fort Stewart, in partnership with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation and Savannah Technical College.
• The program offers an accelerated six-week course to fast-track participants toward FAA A&P certification, helping qualified service members become more capable and mission-ready during their military service and providing a steady pipeline of skilled talent for the aviation industry.

The last word: “Heroes MAKE America and our new Airframe & Powerplant certification program are critical to closing the aerospace skills gap,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee.

• “By equipping transitioning service members with the specialized training they need, we’re creating an effective pathway to high-demand, certified aircraft mechanic jobs. These initiatives not only support our veterans but also build a skilled, ready workforce that the aerospace industry urgently needs to thrive.”

While the labor market is holding steady, it’s not a good time to be looking for a job—particularly if you’re young (The Wall Street Journal, subscription).

What’s going on: “Recent college and high school graduates are facing an employment crisis. The overall national unemployment rate remains around 4%, but for new college graduates looking for work, it is much higher: 6.6% over the past 12 months ending in May.”

• That’s the highest level for this age group in a decade, not counting the COVID-19 unemployment increase.
• By contrast, jobseekers aged 35 to 44 with bachelor’s degrees had a 2.2% unemployment rate over the past year.

What’s different now: “Young graduates typically face a higher unemployment rate than their counterparts who have been in the workforce longer, but the gap is growing wider between older workers and the young.”

Why it’s happening: There’s a general slowdown in hiring right now.

• While it hasn’t had much of an effect on people who already have jobs (because layoffs have stayed low), it has hit those with the least experience.
• “With employers turning more cautious on hires, they are less inclined to gamble on workers with thinner résumés or skill sets.”

Worse for high school grads: “High school graduates ages 18 to 19 with no college [experience] averaged an unemployment rate of 14.5% over the past 12 months. That is up from 13.3% over the prior 12-month period.”

Manufacturing’s offer: With 381,000 job openings today, and as many as 3.8 million new employees needed by 2033, the manufacturing industry has many opportunities both for new college graduates and those without a college degree.

• The Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate, is creating solutions for employers seeking workers with much-needed skills and offers programs and resources for students, veterans and other job seekers looking to enter the industry. Learn more here.

With 2025 shaping up to be another challenging year for manufacturers, amid evolving workforce needs, rapid technological advancements and economic uncertainty, the Manufacturing Institute is offering much-needed help. The annual Workforce Summit put on by the NAM’s workforce development and education affiliate is a can’t-miss event where manufacturers can learn what works and how peers are addressing all these challenges.

What’s going on: This year’s summit, whose theme is “Manufacturing America’s Talent,” will be held Oct. 20–22 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

• Attendees will participate in sessions and interactive workshops that focus on topics like workforce preparation for AI deployment, expanding the military-to-manufacturing pipeline, closing the skills gap in hires with no factory experience, how to design optimal onboarding programs and much more.
• Sponsors include Dozuki, Grant Thornton, American Fidelity, TCP, Cornerstone OnDemand, MSSC and MyWorkChoice.

Why attend: At the Workforce Summit, manufacturers will be able to connect with subject-matter experts, community partners and education professionals to brainstorm and get answers about common challenges facing the sector.

• The vast majority—95%—of past attendees give the workshops four to five stars (out of five), according to the MI.

Who should attend: The Workforce Summit brings together the entire manufacturing talent chain and delivers fresh solutions for the industry’s most pressing workforce challenges. If you shape strategy, develop skills or build partnerships, this event is for you.

Register: Register for this year’s event here (but hurry—discounted early bird registration ends July 15). Contact [email protected] with any questions.

Read more: Read all about our two most recent Workforce Summits here and here.

GE Appliances, a Haier company, has opened an advanced primary care clinic onsite at its Monogram Refrigeration LLC plant in Selmer, Tennessee, the company announced this week.

What it does: The third onsite clinic at a GE Appliances facility, the Selmer clinic will serve employees and covered family members who are at least 2 years old. It is offered in addition to traditional health care benefits, the company said, and it will be managed by third-party health care provider CareATC. The clinic’s services include:

• Advanced primary care;
• Mental health services;
• Access to a registered dietician; and
• Prescription services for common medications.

Impressive results: GE Appliances’ existing two clinics have shown impressive results in caring for employees, most notably a 35% increase in preventative care visits and a 70% reduction in avoidable ER visits among employees using the clinics.

• Employees average 4.82 visits per year—which is far more than the industry benchmark, according to GE Appliances.

GE Appliances says: “In today’s fast-paced world, providing accessible and comprehensive health care is more important than ever—especially in rural manufacturing communities,” said GE Appliances Chief Human Resources Officer Rocki Rockingham.

• “This clinic is more than a benefit; it’s a key part of our strategy to be an employer of choice and attract and retain the talent we need to operate and grow in a competitive labor market. Our employees deserve the best, and that includes health care that’s close to work, easy to access and focused on their whole well-being.”

The MI says: The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the NAM, supports manufacturers in their efforts to offer high-quality benefits to workers, including medical care.

• “When manufacturers invest in the holistic well-being of their workforce, they’re doing more than offering benefits—they’re making a powerful statement that their people are their greatest asset,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee.
• “These investments in people play a critical role in both attracting and retaining talent. At the MI, our research consistently shows that team members are more likely to stay—and thrive—when they believe their employer truly cares about them. It’s not just the right thing to do; it’s a smart strategy for attracting and retaining the skilled talent that drives our industry forward.”

Manufacturers struggle to fill all available jobs, Manufacturing Institute President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee told NPR’s “Planet Money” this week. The program held an in-depth discussion with Lee and other experts about the industry’s workforce challenges and prospects for change.

The problem: “Last year, the Manufacturing Institute [the NAM’s workforce development and education affiliate] and Deloitte, a consultancy firm, surveyed more than 200 manufacturing companies. More than 65% of the firms said recruiting and retaining workers was their No. 1 business challenge,” NPR noted.

• “The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte projected that the industry will need 3.8 million additional workers by 2033 and that as many as ‘1.9 million of these jobs could go unfilled if workforce challenges are not addressed.’”

Changing perceptions: Lee underlined the importance of changing Americans’ perceptions of the manufacturing industry and showing them that it is not dirty, boring and repetitive but modern and high tech.

• Manufacturing jobs are “clean and bright and full of technology,” Lee told NPR.

Skills shortage: Another problem facing the industry is a lack of people with specific, highly needed skills.

• “The hardest skills to find are the ones that maintain and fix equipment,” Lee says. “Every company we speak with is trying to hire technicians—every single one. The challenge is that there is no one walking around on the street with these skills, and it takes one to two years to teach those skills and another one to two years to contextualize those skills to the specific plant environment.”

The fix: Lee said that manufacturers have the most success in strengthening their workforces when they think local.

• “The very best models of workforce development that we see and that we engage in at the Manufacturing Institute are locally and regionally led public–private partnerships, where manufacturers come to the table—and with the support of the community college system and the local business community—they build the talent pipelines that they need,” she told the news outlet.

Finding FAME: The MI is also contributing directly to solving the skills shortage, including through the expansion of FAME, an earn-and-learn initiative originally founded by Toyota and now led by the MI that combines hands-on job training with classroom education.

• “[A]t the end of the 21 months [in the program], students come out with, in most cases, no college debt,” Lee said. They are also well set up for a lifetime of high-paying, in-demand work.
• A Brookings Institution and Opportunity America study cited by NPR found that “five years after completion, FAME graduates were earning nearly $98,000, compared to roughly $52,783 for non-FAME participants—a difference of more than $45,000 a year.”

Read the whole thing: You can find the whole NPR article here.