NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY (NIIT) AND MANPOWERGROUP ANNOUNCE CUTTING-EDGE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Game-changing partnership creates a pipeline to jobs in high-value careers in semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries

HANOVER, Md. and MILWAUKEE, Sept. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Institute for Innovation and Technology (NIIT), the leader in developing the U.S. semiconductor talent pipeline through Registered Apprenticeships, and ManpowerGroup, a premier global workforce solutions company, announced a partnership to establish an innovative national Registered Apprenticeship Program that will offer training and eventual employment in valuable advanced manufacturing jobs.

This collaboration will empower participants to start or accelerate their careers with a fast-track training program in positions that traditionally require post-secondary education. With this partnership, NIIT and ManpowerGroup are strengthening the talent pipeline in America's semiconductor industries and other fields that are crucial to the country's national security and global economic competitiveness.

"Our Registered Apprenticeship program with ManpowerGroup is a major step in NIIT's strategy of expanding the nation's workforce needed to support the semiconductor, nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing related industries. We will not only be better preparing and motivating the workforce through industry-recognized training; we will be expanding opportunities in these all-important fields to those who may not have had the chance to participate before," said Mike Russo, President and CEO of NIIT. "NIIT is excited to partner with a progressive workforce solutions provider like ManpowerGroup as they mark 75 years of innovation for employers and jobseekers alike."

"ManpowerGroup is dedicated to enabling clients to succeed in the changing world of work, and our partnership with NIIT achieves that by giving individuals vital career development and delivering a larger talent pool of skilled workers for employers," said Martie Telepo, Government Solutions Director for ManpowerGroup. "Given the importance of the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries, we are thrilled to collaborate with NIIT to provide an avenue for countless individuals to pursue careers previously considered out of reach. We are addressing the talent shortfall for strategically significant industries with an innovative initiative that benefits employers and individuals and their families."

The newly established program applies NIIT's Growing Apprenticeships in Nanotechnology and Semiconductor (GAINS) program to opportunities in ManpowerGroup's network. In this model, individuals will acquire foundational skills in the GAINS Gateway Program, a "learn while you earn" setting that prepares participants for long-term employment in tech-related fields and advanced manufacturing. Once participants are staffed in full-time jobs, they will have the opportunity to continue their professional development by making a seamless transition into the more advanced GAINS Registered Apprenticeship.

NIIT will provide industry expertise and assistance in developing and establishing the program, leveraging assets like its National Talent Hub – a real-time online platform for educational and career prospects in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing space – to promote individual professional development, assist employers with program administration, ensure curricular alignment and encourage regional talent pipeline development. Employers in the ManpowerGroup network will have access to NIIT tools and resources to help meet their labor needs, enhance skills assessments and tracking, and facilitate a smooth transition for staff when they move from temporary to full-time employment.

Additional benefits of the program include:

• Empowering individuals to build valuable, transferable skills over the long term. Participants can pursue further educational and career advancement via access to NIIT resources like the National Talent Hub.
• Opening a gateway to high-value careers. Establishing this program enables a broader population to access professions in tech-related industries and advanced manufacturing.
• Shifting the workforce paradigm to benefit employers and employees. This partnership allows employers to move beyond the "temp help" model for short-term needs and into one that prepares individuals for permanent positions.
• Providing opportunities for individuals to earn certified credentials. Participants will be well-placed for more advanced Registered Apprenticeships and other career opportunities.
• Improving and expanding employers' ability to train employees throughout their careers. NIIT and Manpower will counsel employers to help improve their training consistency and support the administration of these training programs.

About the National Institute for Innovation and Technology (NIIT)

The National Institute for Innovation and Technology (NIIT) is a 501(c)(3) with a mission to identify roadblocks to innovation in strategic industry sectors – those important to the nation's security and global competitiveness – and ensure they are eliminated. Talent pipeline development is the major focus of NIIT, and through comprehensive industry engagement, NIIT is leading the deployment of a national strategy and infrastructure to broaden and build the talent pipeline for the semiconductor industry and strategic industry sectors. Through its National Talent Pipeline Development Initiative, Center for Skills Based Learning, and the support of the federal government, NIIT has developed a comprehensive, nationally integrated approach that includes the alignment of programs K-12 through higher education and adult and veteran training, infrastructure to attract a broader population and improve access and connections to career and needed training, and the ability to scale to support the nation. For more information, visit www.niit.org.

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for 75 years. We are recognized consistently for our diversity – as a best place to work for Women, Inclusion, Equality, and Disability, and in 2023 ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 14th time – all confirming our position as the brand of choice for in-demand talent. For more information, visit www.manpowergroup.com.

SOURCE National Institute for Innovation and Technology (NIIT)