Giving advance manufacturing a voice

The Automation Federation will manage a roundtable of executives and business leaders to give advanced manufacturing a voice in workforce development efforts in the Piedmont region.

Piedmont Triad Partnership (PTP) in North Carolina, USA, has selected the Automation Federation to manage a roundtable of manufacturing executives and business leaders to give advanced manufacturing a voice in workforce development efforts in the region.

The Advanced Manufacturing Industry Cluster will explore workforce development issues including education, training and retraining, skill gaps, and workforce development opportunities.

PTP was awarded a WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) grant through the US Department of Labor.

The US$15 million grant, announced in February of 2006, funds the creation of four targeted industry clusters in the region.

1 - Advanced manufacturing.

2 - Creative enterprises/arts.

3 - Health care.

4 - Logistics/distribution.

Automation Federation chairman, Steve Huffman, said: "Through our management of the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Cluster, we'll have the opportunity to bring the recognised expertise of our member organizations and all we have to offer to over 1400 manufacturing companies in the region".

He continued: "This initiative furthers our mission to increase awareness about advanced manufacturing and develop the next generation of automation professionals".

WIRED project manager, Theresa Reynolds, said: "We anticipate great success with the leadership of the Automation Federation.

We hope our region can become a workforce development model for other regions across the country and around the world, and we're confident that the Automation Federation's network of experts can help us achieve our goals".

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