This meeting is the latest initiative of the Manufacturers’ Council, which focuses on developing the workforce pipeline within this critical industry sector in Connecticut.
It brought together industry and community leaders whose target is to promote manufacturing and to decrease the lack of a skilled workforce in the marketplace. After opening remarks from Larry McHugh and Jay Polke, the chamber’s President and Chairman respectively, Dr. Christine Benz, Training & Development Manager at Trumpf North America spoke on Workforce Trends in the Industry and Rachel Mauer, President, at the Pittsburgh Chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce, focused on Skills and Innovation Strategies to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing.
Chris Dimou, Roto North America’s President & CEO, who also sits on the Board of Directors of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce stated that “Manufacturing is imperative to our regional economy and this forum was another important step in addressing the vital workforcepipeline issue. There is a significant need for closer collaboration between State agencies, Community & Technical colleges, chambers of commerce, and the industry, in order to holistically set up such programs and initiatives like apprenticeships and internships” he concluded.