The growing skills gap requirements existing in the workforce community of Southeastern PA seems to be crying out for more participation in 
worker training programs like apprenticeships. The majority of the skilled machinist, tool makers and equipment designers are 55+ years of age. A current problem is soon to become a crisis because the pipeline behind them is almost empty. What happened?
A lot of time, press and commentary has been spent on the reasons. They are numerous and have significant merit. The proposed solutions are also voluminous and somewhat successful. However, in the aggregate, they do not add up to a viable alternative to manufacturing community needs.
The one glaring result of the analysis of beyond the job worker training is that potential candidates to do not see a consummate reward for the amount of effort required. Even worse, business leaders do not see an advantage in funding long term skill development programs like apprenticeships. Successful even into the 1980’s, it is now clearly a case of “not your father’s apprenticeships” anymore. A significant amount of effort has gone into creating educational awareness programs for parents and students. Governmental organizations have begun investing again in training programs through grants and industry partnerships. However, these initiatives are still not reaching the manufacturer’s themselves.
The business leaders in the manufacturer’s alliance have proposed that the time for talk has ended. They are making a call to action. 
The premise is simple. Create a summit event, focus on apprenticeship type training programs and get a bunch of manufacturing leaders talking with each other about what they want, need and require in order to participate in a solution.
The summit is scheduled for Jan 26th , sponsored by a partnership 
between the NTMA and the regional manufacturers alliances and designed to begin dialogue around apprenticeship programs that have been successful. The goal is not to endorse any particular program, it is to show that immediate hands on involvement is required to address a business survival issue. Carpi Diem!