Manufacturing is Still at Heart of Productivity for U.S., Phyllis Eisen
Tells Audience at Tri-County's Annual Report Luncheon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/9/2001
(By Lisa Garrett)

Despite these challenging economic times, manufacturing is still at the heart of productivity for the United States, Phyllis Eisen, vice president of the Manufacturing Institute and executive director of the Center for Workforce Success, told the audience at Tri-County Technical College's Annual Report to the People Luncheon.

The Center for Workforce Success, which is the research education and training arm of the National Association of Manufacturing (NAM), finds workforce solutions for U.S. manufacturers.

"No matter how much suffering we're experiencing now," said Eisen, referring to the September 11 bombing of the World Trade Center, "manufacturing is the strength of our country, and we will be back with a vengeance."

"But we need to be prepared for it," she warned.

Sixty percent of all research and development comes out of manufacturing, which is the biggest sector that contributes to the Gross Domestic Product, she said.

"One of five employees in this country depends on manufacturing," she added.

"We're the global trading powerhouse, and that just doesn't stop. These hard, difficult, down times should be training time for us," said Eisen, who in her job, focuses on innovative techniques that enhance the skills of American workers.

"We must make sure that we are ready for the boom again. We're the United States of America, and nothing can stop us."

She said our country must get the dollar back in balance -- "our dollar is too strong for our exports" and we must make new capital purchases to improve the credit problems that businesses are experiencing.

"It's tight out there," she said. "We need to get our productivity stimulated and to educate and train our people during the greatest layoff in recent years." This year, one million employees have been laid off, she added.

"Manufacturing is in a recession," she acknowledged, "and September 11 exacerbated that, but policies to stimulate manufacturing and training our employees will help to boost the economy."

"We need more money for community and technical colleges," said Eisen. "As long as they are underfunded, they can't do their job – which is preparing the future workforce. You simply can't do it if you are strangling."

By 2020, our most skilled generation, the Baby Boomers, will retire, she said. "Our workforce is disappearing. The coming labor shortage will knock your socks off," she predicted.

"Let manufacturing be the heart of growth again," she said.

Eisen's initiatives in Washington include school-to-career programs, recruitment, retraining, and retention of workers. Another initiative is the establishment of national skill standards. In collaboration with the U. S. Department of Commerce, the Center is sponsoring a campaign to prepare young people and adults for technology-driven futures by encouraging youth to take math and science classes seriously.
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