A growing coalition is redefining the future of workforce collaboration close to home.
More than 60 manufacturers, educators, workforce partners and community leaders gathered October 7 at Mercer County Career Center for the Lawrence Mercer Manufacturers Coalition’s (LMMC) Semi-Annual Membership and Community Meeting.
The event provided updates on LMMC’s workforce development initiatives and invited attendees to help shape next steps for strengthening manufacturing readiness and career awareness across the region.
“We still need a very talented, hardworking, earnest workforce who’s going to take us into tomorrow,” said Anna Barensfeld, vice president of strategic initiatives at ELLWOOD and president of LMMC. “We offer great paying careers with wonderful benefits, but we need to do a better job of getting that message out.”
Strengthening Manufacturing Readiness
Attendees learned about two cornerstone programs driving workforce solutions. Manufacturing Readiness, a four-week pre-apprenticeship program developed by LMMC members and sponsored by Butler County Community College, prepares participants for entry-level production roles through a combination of technical and soft-skill training.
Talent Factory, LMMC’s youth and career-awareness initiative, connects manufacturers with schools, students and parents to help build understanding and enthusiasm for modern manufacturing careers.
Collaboration to Support Workers and Employers
Breakout sessions encouraged collaboration among attendees. In the Manufacturing Readiness and Employee Support session, participants emphasized the importance of professionalism, communication and reliability in training, as well as leadership development for new supervisors.
They also recommended career-path visuals to illustrate advancement opportunities and proposed piloting an Employee Resource Network to connect workers with local support services that improve retention.
Expanding Career Awareness and Youth Engagement
In the Career Awareness and Engagement session, participants endorsed bringing the Ready or Not financial literacy and career simulation program into schools. Expanding outreach to parents, coaches and counselors, key career influencers, was identified as a top priority.
Attendees also supported adding video storytelling and lifestyle-focused content to the Talent Factory website to better showcase real-world manufacturing careers.
Building the Region’s Next-Generation Workforce
Feedback from these sessions will guide LMMC’s action teams as they continue developing programs that prepare, support and inspire the next generation of the region’s manufacturing workforce.
LMMC’s progress is proof that when manufacturers and community leaders work together, the entire region benefits. Each new member helps amplify that impact and advance the mission to build a stronger, more prepared workforce.
