November 20, 2025 by SME Communications Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, Dr. Debra Volzer, SME’s vice president of Workforce Development, told the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education that America’s manufacturing workforce is “at a critical crossroads,” facing a shrinking talent pipeline, a widening skills gap, and four retiring workers for every new entrant. Dr. Volzer urged Congress to take bold, coordinated action to modernize the nation’s talent systems by expanding high-quality CTE programs, strengthening the educator workforce, and aligning K–20 pathways with the advanced technologies rapidly transforming manufacturing. Dr. Volzer emphasized that rebuilding the workforce is not only an economic necessity, but also a national security imperative that demands immediate, unified action across education, industry, communities, and government. Read The Testimony America’s Manufacturing Workforce Is at a Critical Crossroads America is facing an immediate and escalating workforce crisis. The manufacturing labor pool is shrinking, the average worker is nearing age 45, and for every four skilled workers retiring, only one new worker enters the field. This imbalance is already constricting industrial capacity and threatens the nation’s economic strength and national security. As Dr. Volzer states, this is not a distant concern, it is a crisis unfolding right now. Bold action is required to reverse the trajectory. High-Quality CTE Is the Gateway to Modern Manufacturing Careers Career and Technical Education is one of the nation’s most powerful levers for rebuilding the talent pipeline. Today’s CTE classrooms expose students to cutting-edge technologies—automation, AI, robotics, data analytics—and help them see modern manufacturing as clean, tech-driven, and innovation-focused. SME’s work ensures that CTE programs are aligned to real industry needs rather than outdated practices, preparing students not only for today’s roles but for careers that do not yet exist. Workforce Development Is a National Security Imperative The manufacturing talent crisis extends far beyond workforce shortages. Without an agile, skilled, and future-ready labor force, the U.S. risks weakened supply chains, diminished industrial independence, and compromised national security. Manufacturing readiness determines the nation’s ability to innovate, respond to crises, and maintain global competitiveness. Strengthening the workforce is not optional, it is mission-critical for the country’s long-term stability and security. Industry, Education, and Communities Must Co-Design Workforce Solutions Effective workforce solutions cannot emerge from education or industry acting alone. SME’s testimony emphasizes the need for deep, ongoing employer participation in program design, curriculum alignment, equipment decisions, and work-based learning. SME’s national ecosystem—spanning K–12 schools, community colleges, employers, and federal agencies—demonstrates that true progress occurs when partners collaborate inside classrooms, campuses, and manufacturing facilities to build aligned, scalable solutions. The Nation Needs Coordinated, System-Level K–20 Pathways to Compete and Win SME’s national initiatives—including SME PRIME, Tooling U-SME, and MI-WPC—show that coordinated K–20 pathways are essential to reversing current workforce trends. These models connect early career exploration, rigorous CTE programs, post-secondary training, teacher development, work-based learning, and industry-recognized credentials to create seamless pipelines from classroom to career. To meet the nation’s labor demands, the U.S. must replicate this unified, system-level approach across regions through aligned federal, state, and local action.
