October Leads Awareness of Careers in Manufacturing
With the largest concentration of manufacturers in Massachusetts, North Central is no stranger to the importance of careers in advanced manufacturing. Throughout October, manufacturing awareness will spread across the nation. The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and Development Corporation will host several events highlighting the value in careers in manufacturing.
“Workforce development is the cornerstone to a thriving economy and manufacturing accounts for one in four jobs in North Central,” said Roy Nascimento, president and CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Educating students, parents, educators, and our elected officials is important to ensuring employers and jobs remain in Massachusetts.”
This October will be highlighted by the Business After Hours at the Fitchburg Art Museum on October 6th, Tour with the Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster at NYPRO, a Jabil Company, on October 12th, Ribbon Cutting at Coleman Assembly on October 14th, and a Legislative Briefing and Press Conference at DataGuide Cable on October 18th.
“As an employer in North Central, it’s very important that we have a steady pipeline of skilled employees”, said John Witkowski, General Manager of NYPRO, a Jabil Company, with locations in Clinton and Devens which produces medical devices. “Manufacturing has changed a lot over the last few decades, and we need to break the existing stigmas that these are ‘dirty’ jobs.”
The Chamber has actively partnered with its Manufacturing Roundtable and Mount Wachusett Community College in promoting careers in manufacturing. Mount Wachusett has developed a number of workforce training and degree programs to help address manufacturing workforce shortage issues.
Stay tuned throughout the month of October for more information on these events. For more information contact Maria McCaffrey at mmccaffrey@northcentralmass.com.
