Blog: Nebraska Manufacturing Month

Statement

Dear Fellow Nebraskans:

This month, we are celebrating Nebraska Manufacturing Month. This is a good time to reaffirm our commitment to Nebraska's manufacturing base and to the industry which has helped our state become one of the strongest in the nation.

To grow our manufacturing base, we must make the most of opportunities which will help communities attract investments that ensure long-term growth. This takes a concerted effort to develop the workforce needed by manufacturers.

Nebraska exports to more than 170 countries, selling manufactured goods and services totaling more than $7 billion dollars. Manufacturers employ nearly 10 percent of Nebraska's workforce. The average manufacturing job in Nebraska pays nearly $55,000 annually.

Manufacturing jobs are important to America's and Nebraska's economies as we continue to make Nebraska an even better place to live, to work and to raise a family. Nebraska's manufacturing jobs help us do just that.

Nebraska's manufacturing sector has played a key role in our state's economic recovery. Today, around 100,000 Nebraskans earn their paychecks in manufacturing -- and for every 100 manufacturing jobs, nearly 300 additional workers are needed to support them.

Unfortunately, too many young people are not aware that a career in manufacturing can be a challenging, rewarding and fulfilling way to earn a good living. We must change those perceptions.

Later this month, I will be touring some of Nebraska's manufacturing industry site during the 2014 Salute to Manufacturing Tour. I will be joined by Barry Kennedy, President of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry and business leaders, manufacturing employees, and students to celebrate October as Nebraska Manufacturing Month at events in four locations.

Nebraska Manufacturing Month events will start at Lincoln Industries in Lincoln. The next stop will be Deshler Public Schools where I will eat lunch with kindergarten through third graders and give remarks at a Nebraska Manufacturing Month school assembly for fourth through twelfth grade students, followed by a tour of the school's welding facility. After Deshler, there will be an event at Orthman Manufacturing in Lexington. The day's tour will wrap up at an event in Norfolk at the NuCor Corporation. In addition to this day's events, I will also be attending manufacturing events in Columbus and Snyder.

During the Salute to Manufacturing Tour, I want to highlight our state's Intern Nebraska, or InternNE, program which has reached an impressive 750 actively employed interns. InternNE was a part of my Talent and Innovation Initiative that aims to advance business innovation and strengthen workforce recruitment efforts in Nebraska.

Over the last three years, more than 400 companies have participated in the program; 5,300 students have registered online with the program; and 36 percent of interns participating have worked at companies located in rural Nebraska.

Encouraging more internships -- especially in Central and Western Nebraska -- makes sense. After all, studies show roughly 50 percent of interns will go on to be full-time employees at their places of internship.

The InternNE program has been excellent when it comes to matching employers searching for quality employees with students seeking excellent work experiences. I'm looking forward to those participating companies filling out the remaining internships and having even more companies becoming involved in hiring quality interns.

The InternNE program began on June 1, 2011. Initially, 79 businesses applied for Intern Nebraska funding with 45 businesses fairly quickly approved to participate in the program. On InternNE.com, students can search for a paid internship, and businesses can post internship openings. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, more than 50 percent of interns are offered and accept full-time employment.

Students seeking a paid internship are invited to register on the site and then apply directly for available internships. Other useful resources, including resume writing and tips for interviewing are available on the website.

A solid, healthy and growing manufacturing industry in Nebraska is an important part of our state's economic equation. I'm pleased to celebrate the impact that the industry has on all Nebraskans.

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