Filling the Manufacturing Skill Gap (Oak Brook, IL)

Registration is from 7:30 – 8:00 A.M. / Continental Breakfast Served for Attendees

Is the US Prepared to Meet the Talent Needs of Manufacturing Today, Tomorrow and in the Future?

Over the next decade, nearly 3 ½ million manufacturing jobs likely need to be filled. The skills gap is expected to result in 2 million of those jobs going unfilled.

Every dollar spent in manufacturing adds $1.37 to the U.S. economy, and every 100 jobs in a manufacturing facility creates an additional 250 jobs in other sectors. In short, manufacturing matters – it is key to economic growth and prosperity. As the US economy shows signs of recovery, there is concern over the growing “skill gap” existing especially in the Manufacturing sector.

Join us for a presentation by Gardner Carrick, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives of The Manufacturing Institute.  Mr. Carrick leads the Institute’s research activities including partnerships with internationally recognized consulting firms and the production of a regular series of reports on the issues and challenges affecting the U.S. manufacturing sector.

In this presentation, Mr. Carrick will explore the causes and potential strategies to fill the gap in the Manufacturing sector.

Gardner Carrick

Vice President of Strategic Initiatives

Gardner Carrick is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at The Manufacturing Institute.  Mr. Carrick leads the Institute’s research activities including partnerships with internationally recognized consulting firms and the production of a regular series of reports on the issues and challenges affecting the U.S. manufacturing sector.  Mr. Carrick also leads the Institute’s efforts with the U.S. military to assist transitioning personnel and is responsible for the workforce and education outreach activities in several states.

Prior to joining the Institute, Mr. Carrick worked at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration where he served as the Project Director for a $325 million initiative focusing on talent development in 39 regions across the country. The project worked to integrate the workforce development, economic development, and education strategies of a region to create the talent base required to drive economic growth. He managed a team of over 100 staff and consultants working on the project.

Mr. Carrick also served as the Communications Director for the agency. He was responsible for developing outreach materials describing the programs and services offered by the Labor Department, writing speeches for the Assistant Secretary, expanding the agency’s web presence, and managing special projects on recruiting and developing talent for the construction industry.

Prior to joining the U.S. Department of Labor, Mr. Carrick was a Senior Associate at TATC Consulting, a Washington DC-based firm focused on providing expertise to federal and state agencies on employment and education related issues.