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Community Update
September 2026
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New Lower Pricing for CPT+ Hands-On Assessments
MSSC has introduced significantly reduced pricing for CPT+ hands-on assessments, making it more affordable for schools and training organizations to integrate hands-on skill development alongside CPT 4.0. Effective this fall, CPT+ assessments are now just $5 per assessment for secondary learners and $10 per assessment for post-secondary learners. MSSC is also offering CPT 4.0 and CPT+ assessments as a bundled package, providing an easier pathway for programs to deliver the full CPT 4.0+ experience, which combines online learning with hands-on training and assessment to help learners both build and demonstrate real-world manufacturing skills.
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MSSC’s 2026 High School Video Contest Open Through Spring 2027
MSSC invites high school students nationwide to put their creativity in motion in the Fall 2026 High School Video Contest! Students are challenged to create an original video that brings today’s manufacturing to life—from advanced technology and in-demand skills to exciting career opportunities. With cash prizes and national recognition up for grabs, it’s a chance for students to tell their story, showcase their talent, and help shape how the next generation sees manufacturing. More information on the contest here.
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Workforce, Technology and Reshoring Converge to Reshape U.S. Manufacturing
A new Industry Today article from Reshoring Initiative Founder and President Harry Moser highlights a “great convergence” of demographic shifts, rapid technology adoption, supply chain restructuring and reshoring that is transforming the manufacturing workforce. Moser notes that an aging workforce and accelerating retirements are contributing to a growing skills gap, while automation, AI and other advanced technologies are increasing demand for higher-skilled workers. To prepare, manufacturers are encouraged to invest in continuous upskilling and reskilling, strengthen partnerships with community colleges, technical schools and apprenticeship programs, and use automation and AI to augment workers and improve productivity. The article points to workforce development, technology adoption and stronger talent pipelines as interconnected priorities for expanding U.S. manufacturing. Read the full article here.
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U.S. Manufacturing Adds 16,000 Jobs as Hiring Momentum Continues
U.S. manufacturing added 16,000 jobs in August, bringing total sector employment to nearly 12.64 million, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Machinery manufacturing led the gains with 6,100 new jobs, while motor vehicles and parts lost 4,500. The manufacturing unemployment rate stood at 3.3%, down from a year earlier, while July job openings surged 36% year over year to 580,000. The latest figures point to continued demand for skilled workers as U.S. manufacturing activity expanded for the eighth consecutive month in August. Read ManufacturingDive's full analysis here.
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Modern Materials Handling - "The Big Picture: New Ideas to Raise Everyone’s Game on the Job"
As manufacturing and warehousing operations become increasingly automated, employers continue to face significant challenges attracting, developing and retaining skilled workers. A new Modern Materials Handling article by Gary Forger reports that 35% of industry managers identify skills gaps as a major workforce challenge, while 47% say they have no formal programs to upskill or reskill employees for automation and digital transformation.
The article highlights industry certifications as one approach to addressing these challenges, including MSSC’s Certified Technician–Supply Chain Automation (CT-SCA) program. MSSC Workforce Development Strategist Steve Harrington discusses CT-SCA’s Equipment Maintenance, Equipment Repair and Network Repair certifications, as well as the program’s hands-on skills component and adoption by employers such as Target, which uses the program across 40 warehousing sites. Read the full article here.
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New Study Finds Apprenticeships and College Are Increasingly Connected
A new Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia study challenges the idea that apprenticeships and college are competing pathways, finding instead that the two are often closely connected. An analysis of nearly 400,000 apprenticeship-related job postings and 280,000 worker profiles found that nearly half of apprentices attended college before beginning an apprenticeship, while 32% entered with an existing college credential. Many also continued their education afterward, including about 30% of apprentices without prior credentials who later earned a bachelor’s degree. The research highlights the growing role of community colleges in creating stackable pathways that combine classroom learning, industry certifications and paid work experience, particularly as apprenticeships expand beyond traditional manufacturing and construction trades into fields such as cybersecurity, software engineering and financial services. The study also notes that initiatives such as Workforce Pell could further strengthen connections between short-term workforce training, apprenticeships and postsecondary education. Read more here.
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MEP Centers Receive $30M to Accelerate AI and Automation Adoption in Manufacturing
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded more than $30 million to 12 Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers across 11 states and Puerto Rico to help small and medium-sized manufacturers adopt advanced technologies. The funding will support greater use of artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, additive manufacturing and other advanced manufacturing technologies, with the goal of strengthening industrial competitiveness and domestic supply chains.
The selected centers will also develop shared metrics for measuring technology adoption and work directly with manufacturers in priority industry sectors. The investment highlights the growing need to ensure that smaller manufacturers—and the frontline workers who operate and support increasingly advanced production systems—are prepared for the continued transformation of the manufacturing workplace. Read more here.
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Manufacturers Nationwide Gear Up for MFG Day 2026
Manufacturers across the country are gearing up for MFG Day 2026 on Friday, October 2, with events and activities continuing throughout the month. Each year, manufacturers and industry partners open their doors to students, educators, parents and community members through plant tours, hands-on demonstrations, career conversations, classroom visits and other activities that showcase what modern manufacturing looks like today. The nationwide grassroots movement provides an opportunity to highlight the advanced technologies, skilled careers and people driving the industry while giving the next generation a firsthand look at the wide range of opportunities available in manufacturing. Schools, workforce organizations and community partners can also use MFG Day to strengthen connections with local employers and help more learners discover pathways into the manufacturing workforce. More information on the national initiative can be found here.
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U.S. Department of Labor Awards $65M to Advance Workforce Pell Programs
The U.S. Department of Labor is awarding $65 million in Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCCTG) to community college consortia in seven states, with a new focus on developing and expanding short-term programs eligible for Workforce Pell Grants. The awards will support seven lead institutions and 102 consortium members as they coordinate training aligned with high-demand sectors including advanced manufacturing, AI infrastructure, skilled trades, nuclear energy, information technology and shipbuilding. The initiative emphasizes statewide collaboration among colleges, workforce systems and employers, as well as portable and stackable credentials connected to continued education and in-demand careers. Workforce Pell, which launched July 1, expands federal Pell Grant eligibility to qualifying short-term workforce programs, and the new SCCTG investments are designed to accelerate the development of additional eligible programs nationwide. Read more here.
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