IMEC is committed to helping companies provide structured training to their employees through registered apprenticeship programs. As of last month, IMEC has been approved to sponsor 13 registered apprenticeship programs validated by the U.S. Department of Labor.  

The Role of Apprenticeships in Manufacturing 
Apprenticeships are an important part of many companies’ training landscapes. Improving recruitment, developing a highly skilled workforce that leads to improved productivity, reducing turnover costs, and improving employee retention are all benefits of a strong training program that includes apprenticeships. 

This is an original article from the NIST Manufacturing Innovation Blog.

This blog is part one of a series on cybersecurity and Industry 4.0.

This morning my favorite local morning news program had an interesting segment on new slang words and what they mean. While the definitions were probably not necessary for Millennials or Generation Z, for Baby Boomers like me it was an eye-opening vocabulary lesson. I must admit I didn’t know what boujee meant, even though I had heard it a few times – like when my niece said the wine glasses I used at Thanksgiving were boujee.

This is an original article from the NIST Manufacturing Innovation Blog.

Industrial control systems (ICS) help manufacturers boost productivity, optimize efficiency and advance production lines. Historically, ICS networks were isolated from the information technology (IT) networks and internet, or “air gapped.” Today, air gapping is no longer an effective security strategy, and for various business reasons, many ICS manufacturing networks are now integrated with IT networks and connected to the internet. This makes ICS more vulnerable to cyber threats such as malware, malicious insider activity and human error.

IMEC believes building quality, customizable training programs, and defining career pathways are the solutions to manufacturing workforce challenges of shortages of skilled workers, retiring workforce, and meeting the needs of innovative technologies that the current skills don’t quite match. The new Career Pathways in Manufacturing program aids companies in recruiting, succession planning, and developing the workforce of the future with skills training in high-demand technical areas.

There are literally thousands of options that you can pursue in manufacturing, with the potential return on investment varying from a -100% return to a 100%+ return. The challenge for manufacturing companies is to have a process to determine what the next steps should be. IMEC has a basic process that can help you to navigate these waters and bring some clarity to your next step.

This article is provided by ITR Economics in partnership with IMEC.

Consumers and businesses alike are expressing increasing concern over the possibility of a recession for the US economy in 2022 or 2023. Analysts have referenced rising interest rates, high inflation, and a brief inversion of a portion of the yield curve, among other datapoints, as evidence that may indicate upcoming contraction. We at ITR Economics are here to cut through the headlines and reassure you that the US economy will grow through at least 2024 – we do not anticipate a recession until 2026. Our forecast for US Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) calls for a general slowing growth trend to culminate in relatively flat GDP around early 2023. The pace of growth will then pick up steam into 2024.

Champaign precision machine shop improves quality and processes, and sees an increase in new customers after achieving dual certifications for ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D.

The MEP National Network equips U.S. manufacturers with the tools and resources necessary to be competitive in today’s rapidly changing marketplace. With MEP Centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, U.S. manufacturers have easy access to comprehensive, proven solutions. In fiscal year (FY) 2021, the Network interacted with 34,307 manufacturers.

Below, you will find a summary of the nationwide 2021 impacts. 

To read about IMEC reported metrics for 2021, please click here. 

This article is written by Winsby.

From initial planning to analyzing the results

Marketing seems simple: you’re just spreading the word about your company, right? That doesn’t take much skill, right? Wrong and wrong.

Marketing requires more than just putting together an email or writing an ad. Marketing is a nuanced, multifaceted process that can overwhelm even the most successful business operators.

Guidepost: A post, at the intersection of 2 or more roads bearing a sign for the guidance of travelers.

It’s the year 2022. The challenges now and over the next several years in manufacturing are significant. The landscape is everchanging with much of this driven by technological and societal change that is advancing us into the new frontier of the 4^th Industrial Revolution. So just exactly how do we find our way? How do we focus and work on things that really matter? One thing is for sure, you can follow, or you can lead! And if you lead, what direction do you go and how do you stay the course? To begin, let’s think Strategic Planning and Execution.