NEMCC Workforce Pipeline
The 4th annual NEMCC District Workforce Summit held in October 2024 provided direction to continue our efforts in highlighting manufacturing as a viable career path.
Many thanks to our employers, K-12 partners, funding partners and the amazing NEMCC Workforce team for the support! The NEMCC Workforce Council is the best in all the land.
During the summit, our workshop focused on how to elevate expectations for young people to help them understand the opportunity that awaits them in the advanced manufacturing field. We discussed three questions:
What should we do?
What could we do?
What will we do?
Outcomes from the summit fueled the creation of three action teams:
- Engage Students and Schools with Industry
- Build Industry Partnerships and Training Opportunities
- Promote Manufacturing Careers through Media and Accessibility
These action teams report out monthly at the NEMCC District Workforce Council meetings. We share what was accomplished over the past 30 days, what is planned over the next 30 days, and discuss any gaps that need attention from the whole council. Since the new council was chartered in 2020, we have focused on filling the workforce pipeline with talent. Here's why:
- 3.8 million new jobs will be created in the US Manufacturing sector by 2033.
- Manufacturing faces a large skills gap as the sector transforms, with more than 54% of current workers needing training by 2030.
- Northeast Mississippi Community College's workforce model enables the development of workforce skills for the future and helps address the skills shortage.
According to a recent report by the World Economic Forum, nearly half of the 3.8 million jobs are at risk of going unfilled if manufacturers don't improve the attractiveness of the sector and address skill gaps. The availability of talent is a significant constraint. The WEF report can be viewed by visiting The Future of Jobs Report 2025 | World Economic Forum
Industry employers across the state are seeking innovative approaches to boost their talent pipeline, modernize training models and enhance workplace incentives to attract young people into manufacturing jobs. NEMCC is aggressively working with industries to prepare these young people for tomorrow's manufacturing sector.
In addition to the main campus in Booneville, Northeast operates centers in Corinth, New Albany and Ripley to provide the best support for local employers. Through partnerships with Accelerate Mississippi, Three Rivers Planning and Development District, and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, we offer state-of-the-art facilities and training opportunities that prepare people to reskill or upskill for new technology jobs. Anticipating the industry trend toward automation and evolution of the required technician skill set, Northeast is affiliated with the AiMUP coalition (Advancements in Manufacturing and Upskilling) with Mississippi State University. Our new lab at the Corinth center was designed to prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing by integrating cutting-edge automation, robotics, autonomous mobile robots, additive manufacturing, vision systems, and data analytics. The training is backward-designed in collaboration with Mississippi employers to ensure those who complete the program have the knowledge, skills and abilities they need to fill the workforce demand. All of the training provides students with an applied understanding of the concepts they are learning in the classroom and laboratory. Check out all of our current open enrollment courses by visiting nemcc.edu/workforce/courses
The future of advanced manufacturing depends on a coordinated effort between industry, education and policy-makers. NEMCC's scalable workforce development model, industry-aligned curriculum, and emphasis on improving the quality of life for our residents will help us to fill the workforce pipeline. The availability of a skilled workforce is essential for our region!