According to the multinational professional services firm, Deloitte, the next decade will usher in about 3.5 million manufacturing job openings. Of those openings, 2 million will go unfulfilled due to retirements, talent shortages, and economic expansion.

As an advanced manufacturer of composite materials, Strongwell is an advocate for more emphasis on STEM, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) and STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Production) opportunities within the educational sector to alter the traditional perceptions of manufacturing.

Over the past few years, Strongwell has begun an initiative to build better outreach initiatives, support CTE curriculums with work-based internships, and invest in collaborating with educational sectors on addressing the importance of talent retention and creative support in the regions where Strongwell operates.

Recently, the King University’s Women in STEM group invited Strongwell to speak at one of their meetings to better learn how new technologies influence manufacturing. Tekai Shu (Social Media and Business Development Manager) spoke on Strongwell’s behalf about how manufacturers as a whole are focusing on nontraditional means (blogging, social media, evolving community outreach activities, educational placement, career tours, internal advancement/training) to better identify and engage with communities, product education, and recruitment, and also convey the importance of advanced manufacturing within local and regional economies.

Domestic manufacturers of high value goods depend heavily upon a well-choreographed orchestra of information technology, R&D, accounting, talent development, marketing, creativity, customer service, and data analysis teams to produce products for a myriad of different markets. Tekai’s discussion emphasized the importance of each of those components in making sure modern manufacturing succeeds.

Many thanks to the advisors and students within King University’s Women in STEM group for inviting Strongwell to advocate for STEM and American manufacturing.