Manufacturing an American Century

It was a real pleasure to welcome Dr. Nikhil Kalathil to the Manufacturing in the American Century podcast. Nikhil earned his PhD from Carnegie Mellon in Engineering and Public Policy, and serves as a Senior Advisor of Ecosystem Assessment to AMCC. He brings a rare combination of engineering background and policy focus to the challenge of rebuilding U.S. manufacturing capacity. His work focuses on understanding regional manufacturing ecosystems and why certain places succeed in producing priority products that are critical to economic resilience and national security.
In our conversation, we dig into what makes manufacturing uniquely well-positioned for deep federal policy and ecosystem-building activities: it has measurable inputs and outputs, requires coordination across complex systems, and generates powerful spillover benefits for workers, firms, and regions. Nikhil walks through the core elements of healthy manufacturing ecosystems, including workforce, innovation, infrastructure, supply chains, trade, and capital access, and explains how agglomeration, visibility, and regional fit shape real-world outcomes.
Our conversation ended with Nkhil giving a grounded but hopeful charge for the field. In a moment defined by uncertainty, the smartest path forward for regions is to make bets that reduce risk by aligning state leadership, federal support, manufacturers, suppliers, universities, and startups around clear, mission-driven goals. When regions coalesce around shared conviction and a belief in what they are building, the noise of shifting markets matters less. Technologies, policies, and signals will always change, but building tangible things that improve people’s lives endures. Thanks, Nikhil, for all your work and contributions to the field!
🔗Links to Learn More:
Find Nikhil on LinkedIn.
Read Nikhil’s recent publications.
Learn about CMU’s Critical Technology Initiative
Follow AMCC on Linkedin.
Find Matt on Linkedin.
Visit our website.

AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.
Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I’m joined by Shana Peschek, Executive Director of the Machinists Institute, for a timely conversation about what it really takes to build a manufacturing workforce that can meet the moment. Workforce is one of the AMCC “Big Six” pillars of a functioning regional manufacturing ecosystem, and across the country, we’re falling short. Shana brings a practitioner’s lens to this challenge, drawing on her experience building apprenticeship and training models to support advanced manufacturing talent pipelines.
We talk about how the Machinists Institute was founded by IAM District 751 to serve aerospace, manufacturing, and industrial trades; how Shana scaled the organization from an idea into a statewide—and now national—workforce platform; and why apprenticeship is fundamentally an educational modality, not a niche labor program. Along the way, she breaks down persistent myths around apprenticeship, explains how employer-driven curriculum keeps training relevant, and shares how the Institute partners with unions, non-union employers, community colleges, workforce boards, and community-based organizations without duplicating efforts.
If you care about reindustrialization, aerospace and defense manufacturing, apprenticeships, or how regions can build real workforce capacity,this is a must-listen. Shana’s work shows what systems leadership looks like in practice, and why workforce development can’t be siloed from economic development if we’re serious about competing globally, way to go Shana!
🔗Links to Learn More:
Find Shana on LinkedIn.
Learn more about The Machinists Institute
Follow the Machinists Institute on LinkedIn and Facebook
Follow AMCC on Linkedin.
Find Matt on Linkedin.
Visit our website.

AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.

Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this edition of Manufacturing an American Century, I sat down with Daniel Wierman, founder of CNC Career Network, to discuss His work builds bridges between workforce developers, manufacturers, and local nonprofits to strengthen the talent pipeline in advanced manufacturing. Daniel brings a powerful mix of industry insight, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit to the conversation, matched only by his humility and eagerness to learn, test, iterate and apply his knowledge to help young people and adults get the training support they need for lifelong, meaningful careers in manufacturing.
Daniel shares how his early experiences trying to recruit CNC operators exposed deeper issues of retention, training, and a lack of clear advancement paths. From launching registered apprenticeships with Goodwill Southern California to developing tools and training guides through CNC Career Network, Daniel has stayed focused on helping workers see a future for themselves in manufacturing. His insights on softening the transitions between nonprofits, educators, and employers are a must-hear for anyone working to rebuild America's manufacturing base at speed and scale.
Thanks to Daniel for joining us and for the work he’s doing to grow and sustain a stronger, more connected manufacturing workforce ecosystem!
🔗Links to Learn More:
Find Daniel on LinkedIn.
Learn more about the CNC Career Network.
Follow AMCC on Linkedin.
Find Matt on Linkedin.
Visit our website.

AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.
Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was a real pleasure to welcome Kathleen Kosmoski, Director of Workforce Development at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), to Manufacturing an American Century. Kathleen leads national efforts to strengthen the engineering talent pipeline and is helping connect community colleges, manufacturers, and engineering societies in new ways to close the skills gap.
Kathleen shares how ASME is engaging the next generation of engineers through its Community College Engineering Pathways and Mechanical Engineering Technology Apprenticeship programs, both designed to make engineering education more accessible and aligned with industry needs. She discusses how these initiatives are helping students enter the engineering profession as technicians and advance through hands-on learning and employer partnerships.
We also talk about the unique role of professional societies in rebuilding America’s manufacturing base, ASME’s collaborations with other engineering associations, and Kathleen’s vision for a more connected and inclusive technical workforce. Her experience leading workforce initiatives and her passion for solving complex challenges shine through as she describes how trust, local partnerships, and persistence are key to lasting impact. Thanks to Kathleen for joining us and for the incredible work she’s doing to build the next generation of American engineers!
🔗Links to Learn More:
Find Kathleen on LinkedIn.
Learn more about ASME programs:
Community College Engineering Pathways
Mechanical Engineering Technology Apprenticeship
Follow AMCC on Linkedin.
Find Matt on Linkedin.
Visit our website.

AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.
Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was an absolute pleasure to welcome James Duncan, President of Connex Marketplace, and Alan Davis, President and CEO of i5 Services, to Manufacturing an American Century. Jim and Alan are two private-sector leaders who’ve rolled up their sleeves to tackle two of the biggest challenges facing small and midsize manufacturers today: access to capital and supply chain visibility. They describe how Connex is helping manufacturers find the capital they need, and share how their tools make it easier for business owners to understand their options. Alan gives us the big picture on how Connex Marketplace is reconnecting the U.S. industrial base, helping manufacturers find each other by capability – not just geography or keywords – in a way that connects them while safeguarding their competitive edge.
We also discuss the trust they've established with manufacturers over more than a decade and why that trust is more important now than ever, given rising concerns about capital access, trade, and supply chain restructuring. Thanks to Alan and Jim for coming on the podcast!
🔗Links to Learn More:
Find Alan Davis on Linkedin.
Find James Duncan on Linkedin
Learn more about the Connex Marketplace.
Read about Connex’s work on small business lending support with the SBA.
Follow AMCC on Linkedin.
Find Matt on Linkedin.
Visit our website.

AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.
Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.