Politics & Government
Quigley, Schneider: STEM Education Key to Growing Manufacturing
The representative was joined by fellow congressman Brad Schneider when hosting a roundtable discussion with local education and manufacturing leaders.
U.S. Congressmen Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Brad Schneider (IL-10), in honor of National Small Business Week, hosted a roundtable discussion with local manufacturing and education leaders to discuss the critical role science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education plays in the growth of manufacturing.
An estimated 600,000 manufacturing jobs are currently left unfilled because employers are unable to find workers with the necessary skill sets. Manufacturing is a critical component of Illinois's economy—accounting for 10 percent of jobs.
“Manufacturing offers some of the best paying jobs in our country and a clear pathway into the middle-class,” Quigley said. “But students need the right education to take advantage of these positions. The insight provided by today’s business leaders and educators is invaluable to developing the high-skilled workforce necessary to keep American manufacturing globally competitive.”
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The Congressmen were joined by:
- Zach Mottl: Chairman, Tooling & Manufacturing Association (TMA) & Chief Alignment Officer, Atlas Tool & Die Works)
- Pam McDonough: President, Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing
- Tim Merrigan: President, Chucking Machine Products
- Curtis Snyder: Senior Management Business Development, Numerical Precision
- John McGivern: General Manager, Strange Engineering, Inc.
- Amy Schuett: HR Manager, Bretford Manufacturing
- Aracelie Aguilar: HR Director, Ex-Cell Kaiser
- Keith Bowman: Chair, Mechanical, Materials, & Aerospace Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology
- Diana Peters: Symbol Training Institute
- Dr. Laz Lopez: Principal, Wheeling High School
- Ray Prendergast: Head of Advanced Manufacturing Program, Daley College
A member of the House Small Business Committee, Schneider has taken a leadership role in supporting American manufacturing. Recognizing the key role education plays in the success of our manufacturing sector, he introduced the AMERICA Works Act to bring educators and businesses together to bridge the skills gap that exists today.
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Editor's Note: This article was submitted via press release from Rep. Mike Quigley's office.
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