News

Dear Members,

I wanted to start my tenure as the 2019 - 2020 ARMA Chairman by thanking you for being a part of this association. As someone who has been in manufacturing my whole career, I can tell you, ARMA has been a great channel for me to build a professional network and for HID Global to find resources to help us grow. Much like my predecessors on the board, I want to keep the focus on you, the member, and being responsive to dynamic needs of the community. From our recent survey, we see that the number one challenge is attracting and maintaining talent.

ARMA already has several initiatives underway to address the shortages in the labor pool. A recent partnership with Austin Community College and the Workforce Board has successfully piloted a certification to help unskilled workers get basic manufacturing training. It will graduate thirty people this year. And hopefully forty five in 2020. This class has potential, but we will make the greatest progress by helping to build the pipeline in the K-12 system. Some of our most exciting work this year will be in this space, including a coordinated campaign to promote industry and manufacturing to young people and a soon to be announced partnership with Austin Community College. Central Texas has some of the most advanced manufacturing facilities in the world and whether it be semiconductor, medical device, metal fabrication, or a good old fashion brewer, there is a lot to be proud of and excited about.

I do have one request. ARMA has transitioned from a start up to a legitimate voice speaking out on energy issues, business climate, and workforce challenges. We now have 265 members. Our target is 300 in the next 6 months. Help us get there by spreading the word. If the organization has been valuable to you, share this video with a couple of your manufacturing friends: https://vimeo.com/305983779. Growth will only help increase our effectiveness.

I look forward to working with you over the next year and a half. This organization is in a great position to make an impact and I am excited to see what we can accomplish.

We’ll see you at the next ARMA event.

Warm regards,

Dave

David Stewart

Vice President, Operations Excellence

611 Center Ridge Dr. | Austin, TX 78753 USA

www.hidglobal.com