Vail Supports Local Manufacturers

HARTFORD—Two proposals supported recently by state Rep. Kurt Vail are designed to provide long-term help to the manufacturing sector of Connecticut’s economy.

One proposal (H.B. 5423) seeks to prompt young students to consider careers in manufacturing, while the other (H.B. 5468) aims to encourage manufacturing professionals to consider teaching. Both plans have received strong bipartisan support in the House of Representatives.

“I have talked to many local manufactures and heard just how tough it can be to find employees with the skills needed to perform in what’s become a highly-technical career path,” said Vail, who serves Somers and Stafford. “In many cases, these are great jobs in an industry that’s so vital to our regional and state economies. It’s my hope we can get people—and young people in particular—to play roles in a manufacturing renaissance.”

The bill aimed at those young people would see state education officials consult with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology to develop a guide to help local school boards to incorporate relationships with manufacturing in middle and high school curricula. Additionally, it would see legislative committees analyze whether current courses available to students meet workforce needs while also developing a program to get students interested in manufacturing careers through a variety of means—from literature and videos to first-hand exposure through site visits and hands-on learning opportunities.

“Unfortunately, there’s often a stigma associated with manufacturing, and it’s critical that we get both students and parents on board with nuances in companies throughout Connecticut, there certainly aren’t the machine shops of yesteryear,” Vail said. “Today’s facilities, loaded with millions of dollars in equipment, are more akin to clean-room computer labs.”

The legislature over the last few years has placed additional emphasis on Connecticut’s manufacturing community, even creating a bipartisan manufacturing caucus whose mission is to focus on issues critical to restoring the vitality of the once booming sector.

Through H.B. 5468, the proposal aimed at growing the ranks of manufacturing educators, a task force would review how professional development and in-service training requirements are being implemented by local school districts. The panel would also review the requirements themselves—associated costs for districts, whether they’re duplicative, how long they take to finish, and how many people actual accomplish that goal.

Both proposals await action in the state senate.

###