Northwest Connecticut Manufacturing RSP: Progress, Goals, and a $2.1 Million Boost for Industry Growth

The Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, Inc. is extremely proud to showcase the continued success of the Northwest Connecticut Manufacturing Regional Sector Partnership. Since early 2021, numerous manufacturers, numbering in the hundreds, from the Northwest CT region have joined forces to pinpoint the challenges they encounter in the current economic environment. Their initial commitment has been strengthened by substantial support from the EDA Good Jobs Challenge grant, of which a contract was awarded to the NRWIB earlier this year for nearly $2.1 million. The grant will fund the initiatives of the Regional Sector Partnership over the coming three years, while also providing training opportunities for individuals seeking upskilling and employment opportunities within the manufacturing industry.

In preparation for the grant award, the industry professionals and company representatives supporting the Regional Sector Partnership have been hard at work. Consistent with the “Next-Gen” RSP model, industry champions from our region met throughout the year on a variety of “action teams” designed to develop goals, initiatives, and deliverables for the Northwest Region. Subsequently, on September 14th, more than 50 manufacturers from the region convened at Clocktown Brewing Company in Thomaston to present their progress and gather consensus regarding priority initiatives.

As a result, industry champions in the region have identified four main goals:

• Develop a “Metal Finishing” Workforce Pipeline Curriculum/Program
• Align Regional Educational and Training Offerings with Employer Demands
• Simplify Access to Available Resources (B2B, Peer Networking, Local, State, Federal)
• Reduce Transportation Barriers

In performance of these goals, the Regional Sector Partnership is putting its toolbox to work. These efforts will seek to ensure that an increased number of young people come to understand the world of opportunities within the manufacturing industry; while also retaining graduates from local programs and attracting additional talent to the region. Additionally, the RSP intends to focus on improving local buyer-supplier connections, fostering growth in specific markets, which are ”core” to the Northwest Connecticut region, and the utilization and sharing of emerging technologies which can lead to greater efficiencies across the industry as a whole.

Key figures driving this movement, such as Evan Berns from Northeast Growth Partners, Dan Michaud of WANHO, George LaCapra of Unimetal, and Richard DuPont of RDA, have been pivotal to the partnership’s evolution. Likewise, the commitment and involvement of the Waterbury, Danbury, and Northwest Connecticut Chambers of Commerce, has been instrumental in bringing industry champions to the table. We thank our partners and look forward to the work which lies ahead.

While already a burgeoning success, we are always looking for additional Industry Champions to join us in leading these efforts, for the betterment of the manufacturing industry overall. If you are a manufacturer in the NW CT region, we want to hear from you! Contact us now!