Manufacturers everywhere are on the lookout for young workers with high-tech skills – in a recent national survey, 85% of manufacturing executives ranked “finding qualified employees” as a top concern.

Conexus A+ Partners
The first step to creating a qualified workforce is getting more young people interested in advanced manufacturing and logistics careers. Conexus A+ Partners matches Indiana advanced manufacturing and logistics companies with 'Dream It. Do It.' Champion high schools. Together Champions and Partners provide students with access to industry and help build enthusiasm for and understanding about AML opportunities.

Help Hoosier youth understand how the AML sector has changed by becoming a Conexus A+ Partner and providing new opportunities to showcase your industry. Sign up now.

The “Pull” System
Getting young people interested in advanced manufacturing and logistics careers means assuring them that good jobs will be available after they complete the right education and training programs.  Conexus Indiana is working with industry and academic institutions like Ivy Tech to ensure that these programs are available to prepare students for the jobs most in demand.

As a part of that process, Conexus is asking our industry partners to put graduates of these programs at ‘the front of line’ for open positions.  We call it the ‘pull system’ – giving young people confidence that enrolling in these advance manufacturing and logistics programs gives them the best chance for career opportunities.

It’s a powerful incentive.  Recently, we surveyed more than 160 youths from the nine-county Greater Indianapolis area.  Only 3% said they’d be “most interested” in manufacturing as a career, and 53% said they wouldn’t be likely to go after a manufacturing job. But mentioning the pull system turned these attitudes around:  Nearly 60% of the group said they’d be much more likely to enroll in advanced manufacturing training programs that had been endorsed by local companies and offered preferred hiring status.  Contact us to become part of the solution.