SME and SkillsUSA Partner to Provide Memberships to High School Educators and Students

DEARBORN, Mich., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SME and SkillsUSA, two organizations dedicated to finding solutions for the U.S. skills gap, have announced a high school membership partnership to inspire and engage students and educators, to ultimately fill the manufacturing workforce pipeline.

This partnership between SME and SkillsUSA will immediately establish a pilot program to 100 SkillsUSA chapters, offering SME membership to all affiliated educators and students. With successful completion of this pilot in the fall of 2016, SME and SkillsUSA hope to provide this opportunity to all 17,000+ SkillsUSA chapters. SME's high school membership provides various activities to educate students on career opportunities in manufacturing, including a mentorship program, scholarship opportunities, competitions and local SME chapter events.

"SME high school members – students and educators alike – receive hands-on and virtual access to resources and information related to manufacturing," said Jeff Krause, SME chief executive officer. "SME and SkillsUSA have worked together on various initiatives over many years, including most recently launching the Additive Manufacturing Contest of SkillsUSA. This is yet another way that we can combine forces and empower the next generation to make a difference in their lives."

There are currently more than 600,000 jobs available in manufacturing, with the expectation that number could grow to two million by 2025 because of an aging workforce and new technologies that create more jobs.

"SkillsUSA and SME are driven by similar missions – we are both dedicated to providing skills gap solutions and filling talent pipelines," said Timothy Lawrence, executive director of SkillsUSA. "By partnering, we can truly make an impact on the manufacturing industry by engaging educators and students, to drive interest in career options and high-tech possibilities."

Visit sme.org/high-school-membership to learn more about SME's high school membership program, or contact Natalie Lowell at 313-425-3129 or [email protected].    

About SME
SME connects all those who are passionate about making things that improve our world. As a nonprofit organization, SME has served practitioners, companies, educators, government and communities across the manufacturing spectrum for more than 80 years. Through its strategic areas of events, media, membership, training and development, and the SME Education Foundation, SME is uniquely dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing by addressing both knowledge and skills needed for the industry. Follow @SME_MFG on Twitter or facebook.com/SMEmfg.

About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. This nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry ensures America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. Founded in 1965 and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the association serves more than 300,000 member students and instructors each year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. SkillsUSA programs are integrated into career and technical education through a framework of personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Local, state and national championships, designed and judged by industry, set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide needed recognition to its students. SkillsUSA also offers technical skill assessments and other workplace credentials. For more information, go to SkillsUSA.org.

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