Community Update

January 2026

MSSC Fall 2025 High School Video Contest 1st Place Winner


Congratulations to this year's first place winner, Indiana County Technology Center! You can watch their video entry here, and be sure to be on the lookout for the 2nd and 3rd place winners in our future CUs. For all those who participated, we again thank you for supporting student engagement and helping MSSC highlight the many pathways and opportunities within manufacturing. We hope you’ll consider participating in future MSSC initiatives and contests.

ETA Assistant Secretary Confirmed

Henry Mack received Senate approval last month to serve as the next Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Mack formerly served as Florida State CTE Director and most recently has been serving as a Senior Advisor at DOL this year. ETA is the office responsible for overseeing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and apprenticeship programs, among other initiatives. Notably, ETA is the primary entity where the administration has proposed to transfer day-to-day administrative responsibilities for K-12 education and CTE currently housed at the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

Building the Workforce for the Golden Age: A Conversation with Federal Leaders

Listen to a conversation with leaders from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) on America's Talent Strategy: Building the Workforce for the Golden Age, a comprehensive plan to transform the nation's workforce development system that meets the demands of a rapidly changing economy.  

ManufacturingDive: Five Manufacturing Trends Shaping 2026

As manufacturers head into 2026, the industry is balancing policy uncertainty with accelerated investment in technology, domestic production, and workforce development. Ongoing tariff volatility and evolving regulations continue to pressure costs and planning, even as incentives for reshoring, equipment investment, and AI infrastructure fuel new manufacturing growth—particularly in semiconductors, data center components, and defense-related production. At the same time, manufacturers are doubling down on smart manufacturing, automation, and AI to boost productivity and offset labor shortages, while workforce transformation remains critical as millions of skilled roles are expected to be needed over the next decade. Together, these trends point to a manufacturing sector that is becoming more technologically advanced, capital-intensive, and dependent on robust talent pipelines to remain competitive. Read their full analysis here.

New Federal Investment Expands Manufacturing Apprenticeships

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the launch of the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund, a $35.8 million initiative designed to expand Registered Apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing nationwide. Developed through a cooperative agreement with the Arkansas Department of Commerce, the program will incentivize employers—especially small and mid-sized manufacturers—to start or scale apprenticeship programs through a pay-for-performance model that provides $3,500 for each new apprentice hired. Administered by the Employment and Training Administration, the initiative aligns with broader federal efforts to strengthen the manufacturing workforce, meet real-time industry skill needs, and expand high-quality earn-and-learn pathways that prepare workers for in-demand manufacturing careers.

The Factory Workers Powering America’s Electric Grid

A recent Wall Street Journal feature highlights a growing but often overlooked workforce challenge behind the nation’s energy and AI-driven growth: the skilled factory workers who build electric transformers largely by hand. As demand for electricity surges—driven by data centers, AI, and industrial expansion—U.S. manufacturers face yearslong backlogs for critical transformers that take four to six weeks to build and years to master. Roles like transformer “winders” require extreme precision, deep technical skill, and hands-on craftsmanship that cannot be fully automated, making talent shortages a major bottleneck. With electricity demand expected to rise sharply by 2030 and much of the supply still imported, the story underscores the urgent need to strengthen domestic manufacturing talent pipelines and invest in skilled technical training to support grid reliability, economic growth, and advanced manufacturing.

New Insights from 2025: State Investment in Short-Term Credentials

A December 2025 national analysis by HCM Strategists highlights the growing momentum behind short-term, nondegree credential pathways, identifying 111 active state-funded initiatives across 34 states and at least $8.1 billion in total state investment. In just the past year, states launched 26 new initiatives totaling roughly $511 million, underscoring a strong commitment to fast, workforce-aligned training. This expansion coincides with the passage of the Workforce Pell Grant, which will extend federal student aid to high-quality short-term programs beginning in 2026, and with accelerating shifts in labor-market demand driven by AI and automation. Together, these forces are reshaping how states design, fund, and govern credential programs—creating a critical opportunity to build more accountable, employer-validated, and learner-centered pathways that strengthen economic mobility and the manufacturing workforce.

Getting Workforce Pell Right: Lessons from Career Technical Education

In a new blog, leaders from Advance CTE and the National Skills Coalition stress that short-term Pell-eligible programs must expand opportunity for young people without limiting their long-term education and career mobility. Drawing on lessons from Career Technical Education, they emphasize the importance of high-quality, stackable and portable credentials that are valued by employers and allow learners to continue their education without starting over. The authors also highlight the need for strong career and college advising and clear, aligned data so young people can make informed decisions and trust that programs lead to real outcomes. Aligning definitions and credential lists across Workforce Pell, CTE, and workforce systems is critical to reducing confusion and clearly signaling which credentials have value. Ultimately, Workforce Pell can be a powerful bridge to careers and continued learning if states commit to quality, continuous improvement, and supporting young people both inside and outside the classroom.