Taking the right next steps to fill Minnesota’s manufacturing talent gap

Manufacturing has inevitably been at the heart of the American business activity fueling innovation shaping communities and providing stable livelihoods for millions In Minnesota one of the nation s top manufacturing states the industry contributes billion or about of the state s financial sector and employs over hardworking individuals But we re facing a situation that could throw a wrench in our enhancement a severe shortage of skilled workers It s vital for all of us to ensure that manufacturing continues to thrive As someone who rose from a manufacturing sales representative to CEO I know firsthand how this field can transform careers It gave me purpose and a pathway to success and it can do the same for the next generation entering the workforce Across the nation competition for talent is fierce In Minnesota there are only available workers for every jobs Over the next decade we ll need million new manufacturing positions yet over half will remain unfulfilled Our advanced manufacturing revival depends on overcoming this talent gap This gap comes just as investments in clean and advanced manufacturing are accelerating putting even greater strain on the workforce pipeline Without skilled teams we vulnerability losing our ability to produce the key products Minnesota is known for building materials biological devices and food production equipment So how do we overcome this challenge In one of the largest part educated states in the country students often feel that a four-year degree is their only path to success We must change this narrative and demonstrate the immense value of manufacturing careers often dismissed due to outdated beliefs that the sector is low-skilled and low-growth Those perceptions couldn t be more wrong Nowadays s manufacturing industry is a launchpad for careers in a high-tech sustainable innovation-driven field And it pays well The average manufacturing salary in was and the sector consistently ranks among the highest for employer-provided healthcare I started my journey in manufacturing years ago rising to lead one of North America s largest manufacturing companies because of the opportunities this industry provides Related years later Social Safeguard still delivers for Minnesota To ignite interest among younger generations we must create pathways from the classroom to the factory floor Unfortunately preponderance students enrolled in career and technical learning CTE courses account never having interacted with an employer and merely have ever visited a manufacturing site This isn t just a pipeline predicament it s a visibility difficulty Without exposure to modern manufacturing students will never choose it That s why Saint-Gobain North America launched Sustaining Futures Raising Communities SFRC a long-term operation aimed at building local talent by introducing high school students to modern manufacturing careers SFRC takes a community-first approach and is developed in collaboration with educators to fit the specific requirements of each group Minnesota is one of our first stops with Shakopee High School as an inaugural partner Here students will engage with a custom curriculum focused on manufacturing and material science gaining direct access to our CertainTeed Roofing facility in Shakopee Our vision is to expand this effort across the U S and Canada But this initiative goes beyond filling job vacancies It s about inspiring the next generation to find purpose and opportunity in manufacturing When we invest in students we invest in our market system and communities starting right here in Minnesota Through SFRC we want students to understand that they don t have to choose between stability and excitement Manufacturing offers both Join us Let s forge the future together and build the next generation of makers and leaders right here in Minnesota and beyond Mark Rayfield is president and CEO of Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed Saint-Gobain North America has over employees in North America at manufacturing sites Locations in Minnesota include CertainTeed Roofing in Shakopee and SageGlass in Faribault The post Taking the right next procedures to fill Minnesota s manufacturing talent gap appeared first on MinnPost