The Advanced Manufacturing Training Program aims to create a skilled workforce. By Beth Francis

By Beth Francis

Essex County Community Foundation

Thanks to a collaborative workforce development initiative launched on the North Shore in 2019, an estimated 305 newly trained workers will enter the advanced manufacturing workforce by the end of the year.

These workers will help close hiring gaps for area companies challenged to fill open jobs.

Several factors — including an aging labor force, misconceptions about the manufacturing industry and a lack of training in the now highly technical field — have threatened the employment pipeline for the nearly 500 manufacturing companies doing business on the North Shore.

Nationwide, manufacturing skills gaps could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, according to a 2021 study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute — the workforce development and educational partner of the National Association of Manufacturers.

But locally, the Advanced Manufacturing Training Expansion Program has been changing the tide in an industry flanked by innovation and technology.

AMTEP is a systems-change effort that aims to train 900 adult learners and high school students by 2025.

It is focused on ensuring a ready-to-work pool of skilled labor for local manufacturing companies. At the same time, it provides the promise of good wages, career growth potential and a path to a stable financial future for unemployed or underemployed workers in our region.

“This training movement on the North Shore is colossal and proudly leading the state’s pipeline initiatives,” says Kate O’Malley, AMTEP program manager at the MassHire North Shore Workforce Board, the backbone organization of these efforts.

“It’s growing our advanced manufacturing workforce

Courtesy Essex County Community Foundation At Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School, adult learners receive hands-on training through the Advanced Manufacturing Training Expansion Program.

on the North Shore, and it is supported by open and highly motivated partnerships that are paramount to our region’s economy and sustaining a vibrant industry for the long term.”

Participation in AMTEP is free. The program offers more than 400 hours of technical training, accessible and flexible schedules and post-graduate support, including job placement opportunities facilitated by MassHire. More than 80 percent of AMTEP students secure jobs after completing the program.

“AMTEP is helping to fill a void of trained manufacturing staff for the industry as well as providing a career path for these trainees,” says Charlie Anastos, vice president of operational excellence at Harmonic Drive, LLC, a Beverly company that manufactures gearheads, gear component sets and servo actuators.

“Successful graduates from these programs have demonstrated their commitment to their craft, which, in turn, minimizes the risks to their future employers. We as employers can be comfortable knowing that these candidates are worth the investment in their future development.”

AMTEP is funded by the GE Foundation, with fiduciary and strategic support provided by Essex County Community Foundation and critical infrastructure investments from the state.

“But the list of partners that makes AMTEP successful is long,” says Stratton Lloyd, Essex County Community

Beth Francis is president and CEO of Essex County Community Foundation.

For details of the Advanced Manufacturing Training Expansion Program, email program manager Kate O’Malley at komalley@masshirenorthshorewb.com.

Foundation’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.

“And by focusing on collaborative improvements across the entire system, including capacity expansion at area technical schools, maximizing enrollment through outreach and by bringing local employers into the fold, we’re creating a training and hiring process that we can adapt to the evolving needs of local workers and employers.”

Among those partners are North Shore Community College and Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School, which offer training opportunities through the program.

The end goal is about creating a sustainable solution.

“The AMTEP program is one key to long-term manufacturing success in the region,” says John Flinn, vice president and general manager of Innovent Technologies. The Peabody-based precision machining company has relied heavily on the machining, welding and electromechanical assembly training programs.

Of the 106 students who completed AMTEP training in 2021, 61 percent were students of color, 13 percent were women and 55 percent were over the age of 30. The average starting wage was $22 per hour.

“I have gained many opportunities from this program: education, experience and, most important, networking,” says Jonathan, a 2021 graduate of the Essex Tech Adult Machining Program.

“AMTEP has given me more opportunities to seek and explore as well.”

Students that have participated in the program say they now have the ability to live comfortably, support their families and have a fulfilling and rewarding career with room to grow.

“Never think you’re too old or not smart enough to learn something that can drastically change your life for the better,” says Toccara, who also graduated from the Essex Tech Adult Here are some of the participants in the Advanced Manufacturing Training Expansion Program that make the initiative possible:  GE Foundation  North Shore Community College  Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School  Lynn Vocational Technical School  Gloucester High School CTE(Career/ Vocational Technical Education)  E-Team Machinist Training Program  MassHire North Shore Career Center  MassHire North Shore Workforce Board  North Shore AMTEP Industry Advisory Committee  Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium  Municipalities of Salem, Lynn and Gloucester  State of Massachusetts  Area employers  Essex County Community Foundation

Machining Program in 2021. “As long as you stick to the program, it will be the best decision you ever made.” I

Connolly Brothers, Inc. is a construction management rm serving private commercial, industrial, and institutional clients. A ve-generation family business established in 1880, Connolly is based in Beverly, Mass. and operates throughout the New England region. For more than a century, clients have turned to Connolly to handle all aspects of their construction projects, from planning and design to real estate development. More at ConnollyBrothers.com.

152 Conant St., Beverly, Mass. 01915 ■ 978-927-0053 ■ connollybrothers.com

By Michael Sperling

Sperling Interactive

More than half the world — approximately 4.62 billion people — is using social media regularly.

In the last 12 months alone, 424 million new users have come online. On average, those users spend two hours and 27 minutes a day scrolling and reading.

These statistics show how powerful social media can be as a marketing tool for your business in 2022.

So what’s the best way to capture your audience?

Start with a strategy.

Before you jump into creating posts for your business, it’s important to take some time to strategize, including asking yourself three key questions.

What’s your ultimate goal?

Is your campaign focused on general marketing? Do you want to increase brand awareness or generate leads and sales? Are you looking to grow your brand’s audience, boost community engagement or drive traffic to your site?

Once you have a better sense of what you want to accomplish with your social media campaign, you will be better able to determine where to direct your energy.

Which platforms are best for your business?

There are five major platforms, each with their own demographics, content model and algorithms.  TIKTOK

TikTok currently has 755 million monthly users, primarily under the age of 45.

TikTok is entirely video-based, with posts typically one to three minutes long.

While the platform started with videos of singing, dancing, traveling and comedy, it has begun to include more informative and serious content.

Your business could use this platform to conduct team introductions, provide behind-the-scenes videos, SEE PAGE 16

Michael Sperling is CEO and owner of Sperling Interactive. He is a member of The Chamber’s Board of Directors.