MIT Gets $3.2 Million Grant To Fund Advanced Manufacturing
The state of Massachusetts recently announced it won a $3.2 million, two-year grant, in collaboration with MIT, community colleges, and state agencies. This grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Manufacturing Technology Office. It will prepare students for advanced manufacturing jobs.
New Career Paths Are Being Forged In a Shifting Economy
The commonwealth of Massachusetts and its partners will allocate the grant funding to ensure workers have the proper skills. They will do this by creating a curriculum to teach advanced Manufacturing. This dedicated curriculum will combine all of Massachusett’s current education on traditional manufacturing with new skills.
The USDOD Manufacturing Technology Office chose Massachusetts because of the existing infrastructure in the state. They have great manufacturing education, standardized learning across the state as well as experts in this arena teaching relevant subjects. Also, in terms of education, MIT’s Office of Open Learning has been excellent in its commitment to digital learning, and skill access.
Supercharging The Manufacturing Industry In Massachusetts
Advanced Manufacturing offers middle-wage jobs with high-growth potential in robotics, 3D printing, and high-skill and well-paid jobs. Deloitte has projected that by 2028 there will be a shortfall of over 2.4 million skilled workers to fill these jobs. This means that there will be more jobs available than workers. Therefore, programs like this one are critical to the future of the U.S. economy, and its workers.
Secretary Mike Kennealy of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development spoke on this, saying:
This [grant] award is an essential national acknowledgment of Massachusetts’ successes in Manufacturing and the competitive training programs that support our industry. The grant from the Department of Defense presents a major opportunity to supercharge our manufacturing sector by engaging new students and adult learners and helping them develop their skills to better succeed in these emerging industries.”
GrantWatch understand the importance of workforce development to prepare workers for the careers and projects of the future. That’s why we have a specific category for Workforce grants. For example, Grants to USA Higher Education Institutions for the Training of Behavioral Health Professionals. This grant is aimed at filling the gap of trained professionals in that field.