WIRED Colleges Develop Tools to Improve Access to Manufacturing Careers

The six community colleges involved in the WIRED initiative have developed a set of tools to describe all of the manufacturing-related offerings programs and services available in the northwest Oregon/southwest Washington region. These tools include individual manufacturing profiles of each college, a regional profile of the colleges’ aggregate offerings, and a roadmap that shows how individuals can access and navigate a comprehensive system of career development opportunities in advanced manufacturing across institutions.

Workforce Innovation for Regional Economic Development (WIRED) is a federally-funded initiative designed to increase the competitive advantage of the region through innovative approaches to the development of a skilled workforce. WIRED Northwest focuses on Advanced Manufacturing and promotes “Talent Driving Prosperity.”

Until now, there has been no one place where employers, individuals, economic development professionals, educators, elected officials and the general public could go to get information about the wide range of manufacturing-related programs and services offered by the community colleges in the region. Now Individual College Profiles are available for each of the WIRED community colleges:

Chemeketa Community College (OR)
Clackamas Community College (OR)
Clark Community College (WA)
Lower Columbia Community College (WA)
Mt. Hood Community College (OR)
Portland Community College (OR)

A Regional Profile demonstrates that collectively the colleges enroll over 12,500 students annually in a wide range of manufacturing programs and provide state-of-the-art education and training to manufacturers and workers at over twenty campus and training center locations. It also describes manufacturing-related partnerships with high schools and universities, faculty expertise, specialized facilities and customized training capacity.

The Regional Roadmap for Manufacturing Programs provides a user-friendly visual of all program offerings across the six colleges. It illustrates four primary career pathways: Drafting and Design/CAD, Electronics, Production/Process Technology, and Sustainability/ Green/Renewable Energy.

These user-friendly tools are intended to increase access to information about available resources, and to improve access to the education and training needed for success in the modern manufacturing workplace. For more information, contact Genevieve Howard, WIRED Program Manager for Curriculum Development.