Akron area awarded $6.4 million to support advanced polymer and manufacturing job training and placement

Akron, OH – The Greater Akron Chamber (GAC) was awarded $3 million through the U.S. Economic Development Administration Good Jobs Challenge program, complete with a $3.4 million local match, to strengthen the polymer industry’s workforce pipeline through in-demand skills training and placement in “Good Jobs” through the Advanced Polymer and Manufacturing Excellence (APEX) initiative. The GAC was one of eight awardees in this new round of Good Jobs funding, which focuses on critical and emerging technology industries with an emphasis on empowering underrepresented populations.

Leveraging the work of the Polymer Sector Partnership through ConxusNEO, the workforce initiatives team at the GAC, and the Polymer Industry Cluster, the APEX initiative will focus on creating accessible career pathways in the polymer sector by advancing worker-center strategies, strengthening the advanced manufacturing sector, and focusing on sustainable technology. This initiative will specifically target underrepresented populations in Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne counties in the manufacturing industry and young adults (ages 18-24) who are disconnected from school or work.

Over the next three years, this initiative aims to complete:

500 training enrollments, including entry-level training, upskilling, and advanced training, monitoring and continuous improvement
400 training completions across all levels of training outlined above
320 total placements into “Good Jobs” – defined as opportunities with good wages, strong job security, opportunities for advancement, and ultimately, pathways to financial stability
“Northeast Ohio’s historical position as a leader in the polymer and manufacturing industry, coupled with our federal designation as the Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub of the United States, solidifies the power of collaboration that exists within the industry in our region,” said Steve Millard, President and CEO of the Greater Akron Chamber. “This opportunity would not be possible without the commitment from our region’s employers soliciting needs for in-demand jobs and the commitment from industry partners and training institutions to support the development of these skills in technical and advanced manufacturing roles like injection molding, polymer processing, and materials science.

“The outcomes of the APEX workforce initiative are crucial to ensuring we are equipping our region’s employers with a strong pipeline of trained individuals, and, in turn, these individuals are being placed into ‘Good Jobs’,” Millard continued. “And big picture, the outcomes are crucial to maintaining our global competitiveness and will support our efforts to drive global innovation in the polymer industry to further impact and shape the global, and local, economy.”

The FY2024 Good Jobs Challenge Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) supports and advances the work of existing federally designated Tech Hubs in the United States. Greater Akron’s federal designation as the Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub of the United States in October 2023 set the foundation for this opportunity in our region and further positions Greater Akron as a place for investment, innovation, and growth in the polymer industry.

The $3.37 million of local funds will be provided collectively by partners Akron Rubber Development Laboratory, MAGNET, Manufacturing Works, and Stark State College.

GAC is fortunate to have the ongoing support of its partners, polymer industry companies, elected officials and other economic development stakeholders to further advance the work of Northeast Ohio’s polymer industry.