Message from Secretary Raimondo to Rhode Island High Schoolers: “We’re counting on you to power America in the decades ahead.”
United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo sent this video to share with Rhode Island high schoolers attending the 2024 Manufacturing Day career exploration event. The Manufacturing Day program is presented by Polaris MEP.
Manufacturing Day (#MFGDay24) is an annual program. Companies and Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers across the nation host events, company tours, panels and more — all designed to educate the next generation of creators about the high-skills, well-paying careers available in manufacturing.
Can you #SeeYourselfInMfg? As Secretary Raimondo says in this video, “We’re counting on you to power America in the decades ahead.”
There are so many jobs and roles in this dynamic industry available for America’s next gen workforce!
Commerce Secretary Raimondo was formerly the Governor of Rhode Island. Polaris MEP is grateful to the Secretary for her many years supporting both manufacturing and the MEP National Network!
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Hi everyone. I’m thrilled to welcome you to Polaris MEPs 3rd annual manufacturing Day event.
Of course I wish I could be home in Rhode Island celebrating with you in person, but I’m so pleased to be here virtually.
Here at the Commerce Department, we know that hands-on learning opportunities are some of the best ways to prepare young people for careers of the future.
It’s more important than it ever has been to build a diverse and skilled Workforce.
The Biden administration’s “Investing in America” agenda is creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs, especially manufacturing jobs in semiconductors and clean energy all across the country.
We need to make sure we have enough workers to fill these job openings.
But we know if we don’t act right now we’re going to have a shortage of 300,000 engineers and 90,000 technical workers by the end of the decade.
We need to tap into new talent — like all of you! — to fill these new high quality high paying jobs.
And that’s why MEP, and its centers like Polaris in Rhode Island, are vital so that young people have the chance to learn about good paying, high quality careers in industries of the future.
I saw the great work of Polaris MEP first hand when I was the governor.
And I’m just thrilled that I’ve been able to continue to work closely with Polaris in my role as Commerce Secretary.
So to the team at Polaris MEP, thank you.
Thank you for your work to build Partnerships between Rhode Island schools and manufacturers so that we can tap into the Limitless potential of our young people and set them on a path to high quality careers.
And to the young people here,
I hope you’re having a great time and will take full advantage of everything Polaris has planned for you today.
It’s an awesome opportunity to learn something new and consider whether a career in Manufacturing is right for you.
We’re counting on you to power America in the decades ahead.
Good luck and have a great session.