3rd TIP Meeting Was A Great Success!

Mar 21, 2017

The North Jersey Targeting Industry Partnership (TIP) was established to develop entry level workers, increase qualified employees, and build capacity in the manufacturing industry. The 3rd North Jersey TIP meeting, held on March 9th at the Sandvik Coromant Company, was a great success. The room was filled with manufacturers, employers, and educators all excited to join the efforts. Ultimately, this partnership strives to give manufacturers an opportunity for their voices to be heard which makes it great to see the number of attendees grow from meeting to meeting.

The TIP meetings open the discussion for different ways to promote the manufacturing industry and educate others about it. There can be a misconception that the manufacturing industry is a “dark, dirty, and dangerous” career path when there have been many advances in the industry that ensures a safe and healthy working environment. And in fact, there are so many advantages and opportunities that the industry can bring today.

College is a great option for students but many people, teachers and counselors included, are not aware that students have the option to pursue an excellent career in the manufacturing industry right after high school. The members of the North Jersey TIP are continuing to look for different ways to build awareness. There are three committees within the TIP that focus on different areas to achieve the larger goals. The Evaluation/Industry Needs committee assess the needs of the industry, the Pathway Development committee evaluates the existing manufacturing education programs, and the Marketing Outreach committee brainstorms and implements different strategies to promote the manufacturing industry and education programs. Together, these committees will help to strengthen and progress the manufacturing industry in NJ.

Along the way, other opportunities for everyone to get involved are brought up during the meetings. The New Jersey Manufacturing Talent Network, who sponsors the North Jersey TIP, will be co-hosting the Manufacturing Network Webinar with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development on Wednesday, March 22nd at 3pm. This webinar is open to all administrators, teachers, and counselors and will “provide an overview of the manufacturing industry in New Jersey and the various career pathways that exist within students with differing levels of educational attainment and skills”. At the webinar, three manufacturers will be presenting, giving them a direct line of communication to the educators. The first step in any type of advancement is communication.

It was also announced that Friday, March 25th and Saturday, March 26th will be the 3rd year celebrated as NJ Makers Day. NJ Makers Day is celebrated “to enhance community engagement and develop connections among New Jersey residents by collaborating with multi-type libraries, museums, small businesses and others to promote and explore new opportunities for entrepreneurship, innovation and hands-on learning experiences.” NJ Makers Day is a great way to get the community of all ages involved and bring excitement about manufacturing.

The North Jersey TIP is a great partnership to get involved with. For more information please visit http://careerconnections.nj.gov/careerconnections/partners/talent/targeted_industry_partnerships.shtml.