Report Warns New England on Manufacturing Regional Approach Sought to Preserve High-Tech Advantage
Report warns New England on manufacturing Regional approach sought to preserve high-tech advantage By Jay Fitzgerald GLOBE CORRESPONDENT APRIL 08, 2015 New England’s competitive edge in advanced manufacturing could erode over time if a regional approach to job training and other measures are not implemented by the six states, according to a report due Wednesday. The region is considered a leader in advanced manufacturing, which relies heavily on cutting-edge machinery, software, and robotics to make sophisticated products, ranging from medical devices to semiconductors, according to the report, produced by Deloitte Consulting LLP for the New England Council, a business group. But the study, which is a follow-up to a 2010 report, cautioned that there are persistent challenges facing the industry. In particular, the report warns of a “skills gap” between available workers and what employers increasingly need to make sophisticated, higher-end products. Most jobs in advanced manufacturing, which usually pay more than traditional manufacturing jobs, require computer, software, math, and other special skills to operate the machinery and laboratory-like equipment. “Coupled with a generation of incumbent [manufacturing] workers nearing retirement, the concerns over where to find and how to train the next generation of advanced manufacturing workers is reaching critical levels of need,” the report says. Advanced manufacturing in New England encompasses sectors such as aerospace, defense, signal processing, navigation, optics, biotechnology, medical devices, precision machinery, and other technology-driven sectors, the report notes. To bolster advanced manufacturing in the region, the report recommends: ■ Creating “program offices” that would track education, job training, and other programs designed to promote advanced manufacturing.
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