CHICAGO—The Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council (MRC) enthusiastically applauds Mayor Rahm Emanuel for highlighting advanced manufacturing development, and placing it at the top of the list of 10 Transformative Strategies in his new “Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs.”

The plan, unveiled on February 29, identifies the Chicago MRC and its Austin Polytechnical Academy and Austin Manufacturing Innovation Park programs as existing initiatives relevant to “Strategy 1: Become a Leading Hub of Advanced Manufacturing.”

At the January 26, 2012, meeting of the our Executive Committee, executive director Dan Swinney proposed a resolution to guide the Chicago MRC's position relative to City of Chicago support for manufacturing and the 107,000 jobs provided within the city boundaries.

Resolution approved by the Chicago MRC Executive Committee

Chicago has a recognized history as a leader in global manufacturing and is the site of "best practice" in contemporary programs that if understood, supported, and expanded will re-establish Chicago's global leadership position.

1. Chicago will be the global leader in designing and manufacturing complex products as well as applying advanced manufacturing techniques to all aspects of manufacturing as a key foundation for our economy going forward.
2. Chicago will develop a world class education system from pre-school to K-20 to meet the opportunities in manufacturing for our residents and our youth.
3. Chicago’s strategic partnership of business, government, educators, labor, and community is our strategic advantage in global competition. Our mantra is to lead by more innovation and more equity.
4. We will firmly establish "best practices" in education, research, business services, and community engagement and then expand the applications. These pilots fully embody innovation and equity:
   - Austin Polytechnical Academy, the first of five public high schools generating leaders for all aspects of manufacturing.
   - Daley College and Wright College manufacturing programs as examples of post-secondary programs will be perfected, publicized and then expanded
   - Manufacturing Works will be expanded to fully service Chicago companies.
   - The Austin Manufacturing Innovation Park, the first of three small research and productions centers on the future-oriented sectors of manufacturing.

The National Institute for Metalworking (NIMS) was recently awarded a $2.2 million H-1B grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, in partnership with the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council (MRC) and two other partners in southern California and northern Alabama.

H-1B grants are funded by fees paid by employers who bring in foreign workers to fill jobs they can't fill with Americans. These fees are then used to prepare Americans for those difficult-to-fill positions, such as CNC machinists.

The NIMS H-1B grant provides employers with a NIMS competency-based training, tracking, and reporting system in support of On-the-Job-Training (OJT) of CNC machine tool operators. Employers are incented with a $4.00 wage subsidy for 520 hours ($2,080) to hire dislocated workers who have been unemployed for at least 27 weeks. The four-year grant runs from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2015.

After a candidate is hired, within nine months the goal is to have them obtain at least one of the following NIMS certifications, with the understanding that some new hires will be able to achieve all five:

1. Measurement, Materials & Safety
2. Job Planning, Benchwork & Layout
3. Manual Drill Press Operations
4. Level I CNC Milling: Operator
5. Level I CNC Turning Operator

Employers who commit to hiring and training dislocated workers are provided with the NIMS Certified OJT Trainer instruction. This two-day program results in national certification of OJT Trainers and Senior Trainers. Company trainers will be tested and credentialed. This instruction is valued at $695, but is provided free to qualified employers.

Direct benefits to manufacturing employers include:

• Customize a training pathway under your timeline, your equipment and under your specific processes
• Establish a structured certification system that is understood amongst your production staff

Skills standards and industry-recognized certifications -- through programs like the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) -- have been a key part of the Chicago MRC's strategy even before its formation in 2005. For over five years, we have aggressively promoted NIMS credentials and accreditation, especially through the City Colleges of Chicago.

We reached a major milestone with the accreditations of Austin Polytechnical Academy and the Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center at Wilbur Wright College, two of three programs in Illinois to earn NIMS accreditation in 2011. The number of NIMS-accredited manufacturing education programs in Illinois almost doubled last year.

The state now boasts seven NIMS-accredited programs:

• College of Lake County (2007-2012, seeking renewal)
• Danville Area Community College (2008-2013)
• Southwestern Illinois College (2009-2014)
• Austin Polytechnical Academy / Center for Labor & Community Research (2011-2016)
• Wilbur Wright College - Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center (2011-2016)
• Prosser Career Academy (2011-2016, recently renewed)
• Leyden High School (2011-2016)

Another six are in the process of securing NIMS accreditation, including three high schools, one community college, and two private schools. Thanks to our initiative, Daley College is among the programs seeking NIMS accreditation.

Illinois residents earned a total of 1,144 NIMS credentials over the past three years. Of these, 566 credentials were earned in 2011, representing an 87% increase over the 302 credentials earned in 2010. Illinois ranks second only to Pennsylvania in number of credentials.

The top five of Illinois' 22 NIMS credentialing programs are (in order of credentials awarded):

1. Wilbur Wright College - Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center
2. Jane Addams Resource Corporation

On January 11, 2012, Chicago MRC Executive Committee members were joined by guests from education, business, and government to participate in a strategic planning session facilitated by Don Laackman, president of Harold Washington College.

Participants divided into four teams to each envision "headlines" under four focus areas:

1. Education and Workforce Development
2. Legislative Agenda (Local, State, Federal)
3. Manufacturing Brand and Image in Chicagoland
4. Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Markets

The Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council (CMRC) is a coalition of business, labor, government, and community leaders working to make Chicago the global leader in advanced manufacturing. We operate throughout the nine-county region to reform policy and implement practical projects in support of advanced manufacturing.

• Manufacturing sustains 406,700 jobs in the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville area, employs 10% of the Illinois workforce, and generates $1.6 trillion nationally each year. On its own, U.S. manufacturing would be the 8th largest economy in the world.
• Manufacturing creates high-paying jobs to strengthen our middle class. In 2009, the average U.S. manufacturing worker earned $72,258 in pay and benefits, compared to $58,411 for the average non-manufacturing worker.
• Manufacturing is responsible for half of all research and development in the United States -- more than any other sector. Manufacturing drives innovation, keeping the US competitive in the global knowledge economy.

Learn more about why advanced manufacturing builds economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

Sources: National Association of Manufacturers, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Commerce

The Renaissance Council established Austin Polytechnical Academy, a college and career prep high school on Chicago's West Side, to prepare students for success in manufacturing, engineering, and business. APA was featured on PBS NewsHour:

Learn more about our programs in support of advanced manufacturing in Chicago.