Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels on May 21 brought the Dream It. Do It program to Southeast Indiana. The program, developed by National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), is a multi-regional campaign aimed at attracting young people to manufacturing careers and expanding their educational and training opportunities to meet a growing demand for skilled employees.
"Southeast Indiana is a role model for regions seeking to improve their global competitiveness by creating a skilled workforce," said NAM CEO John Engler. "America can't compete without skilled workers. Eighty percent of NAM members are having trouble finding qualified employees for today's dynamic, high-tech workplace -- and this problem is getting worse as the Baby Boom generation retires."
The SE Indiana campaign partners with Indiana's Region 9 Workforce Board, which comprises a 10-county region that includes the cities of Columbus, Greensburg, Seymour, Madison, North Vernon, Lawrenceburg and Batesville. There are more than 600 advanced manufacturing companies in Southeast Indiana, and they report a need for more CNC operators, engineers, technicians, machinists and general production workers.
John Burnett, chairman of Dream It. Do It. SE Indiana noted that "thousands of advanced manufacturing jobs are -- or soon will be -- available in Southeast Indiana, and they need to be filled with a workforce that is regionally trained."
"This program will help build on our recent successes with the Cummins expansion, the new Honda plant and dozens of other economic development projects in southeastern Indiana," said Governor Mitch Daniels. "Cummins made the decision to locate our new light duty diesel engine plant and invest $250 million in Columbus, largely because of the commitment by all stakeholders to support the Dream It. Do It. campaign in Southeast Indiana," said Joe Loughrey, president and chief operating officer of Cummins, Inc., and chairman of The Manufacturing Institute.
The Dream It. Do It. campaign began in Kansas City in 2005 and has spread to regions in Virginia, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, Washington State and Illinois.
For more information, visit www.dreamit-doit.com and www.nam.org/institute
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