A top business publication in the United Kingdom recently published insights from a Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) leader, spotlighting how the Lehigh Valley’s talent strategies are preparing talent for manufacturers. 
Karianne Gelinas, LVEDC’s Vice President of Talent Strategies, wrote an article for The Manufacturer, which covers manufacturing news, insights, and best practices.
Titled “Lehigh Valley’s workforce strategy drives manufacturing growth beyond national trends,” the article explored how employment in manufacturing in the Lehigh Valley has grown three times as fast as the U.S. as a whole since 2010.
“How is this possible?” Gelinas wrote. “In short, leaders have deliberately focused on developing the manufacturing workforce to continue the region’s proud history of making things in America by meeting the evolving needs of today’s manufacturers.”
Manufacturing is a leading driver of the Lehigh Valley’s economy. About 700 companies produce a collective output of $9 billion, representing 16% of the region’s Gross Domestic Product. Nationally, manufacturing is 11% of GDP.
Lehigh Valley’s manufacturers include global brands such as Crayola, Mack Trucks, and Martin Guiter.
Gelinas highlighted how the Lehigh Valley’s skilled workforce has driven key new investments, such as a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing campus announced by Eli Lilly and Company, the largest in Lehigh Valley history.
“To meet the needs of companies that are new to the market, like Lilly, as well as existing, growing companies, the Lehigh Valley works in coalitions of employers, educators, and other community organizations to build a talent pipeline that starts early and stays closely aligned with employer needs,” Gelinas wrote.
She shared examples including:
- “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing,” which pairs teams of middle school students with manufacturers to produce videos about today’s innovative manufacturing processes and introduce them to careers in the field.
- Bethlehem Area School District’s pre-apprenticeship program, developed with input from local manufacturers, which gives students experience with quality control, measurement, 3D printing, and chemical analysis.
- Lehigh Carbon Community College’s new science and technology program, which is being developed to train students for roles in pharmaceutical manufacturing, including at the new Lilly facility.
- The Industrial Training and Education Consortium (iTEC), a collaborative apprenticeship program established by a group of Lehigh Valley manufacturers to provide industrial skills training, in partnership with local schools, colleges, universities, and community organizations.