The Association of Manufacturers Bay Area (AMBayArea) is a trade group working to ensure that manufacturing thrives in the Bay Area. Officials note that the group "supports and promotes Bay Area manufacturing through Member Education, Workforce Development, Purchasing Power, Grassroots Advocacy, and Collaboration." Its Board of Directors includes executives from a range of manufacturing industries, subregions, and support organizations who share the same goal.

New Partnership

Last autumn, AMBayArea launched the AMBayArea Cornerstone Partnership to give manufacturers and service providers an opportunity to be part of the core foundation of AMBayArea's work to support regional manufacturing. Manufacturers and service providers that become a Cornerstone Partner gain brand visibility and access to the manufacturing community throughout the year while helping this vital industry, which accounts for more than 9% of Bay Area employment, according to Mark Martin, who serves on the AMBayArea Board.

EASTBAYWorks, a regional network of workforce development boards, job centers, economic developers, support service providers, and educational entities that provide services to employers, job seekers, and youth; Manex, a top nonprofit manufacturing consulting firm; and Hacienda's Sensiba San Filippo, a certified public accountancy and business advisory firm, are the first Cornerstone Partners.

"One of the things that I think people don't fully realize is the importance of manufacturing in a couple of different ways to the economy of the Bay Area," says Martin, who is also the Regional Director for Advanced Manufacturing for the Bay Area Community Colleges. "It is a large employer, and it also drives a lot of other industries. A lot of bankers, accountants, lawyers, and other kinds of service providers find manufacturing an important part of their business. And if you look at the multiplication factor, manufacturing is typically the highest of any industry as far as dollar gross domestic product. That is really important."

The industry is important for another reason as well. "While coding, health care, education, and other careers are vital to the region, not everyone is interested in those jobs." notes Martin. "We also need a place for those people who like to work with their hands. At an individual level, if you have a kid who wants to do that, we need an outlet for them to be able to live here in the Bay Area with a good wage. Manufacturing provides that for a number of people. Supporting manufacturing helps support the GDP, but it also helps support the individual dreams and goals of a lot of people."

Cornerstone Partners are vital to AMBayArea's workforce development efforts, according to Martin. These partners are important in helping to fund the group's skilled trades scholarships, job fairs, the Ambassador Program to schools, apprenticeships and internships, Manufacturing Day events, and more. In addition to helping the manufacturing community through its support, Cornerstone Partners also receive a variety of direct benefits, such as full AMBayArea membership; recognition as a Silver Sponsor at the annual AMBayArea Summit, including exhibit space and two tickets for the event; recognition throughout the year in newsletters, on AMBayArea's website, and at events; complimentary registration for webinars; access to employee discount programs; workforce development opportunities; and more.

AMBayArea Summit 2023

This year's annual AMBayArea Summit will be held on Tuesday, April 25 at Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland from 1 to 7 pm. This event provides a forum for Bay Area manufacturing leaders and management teams to connect with other local professionals in the industry and learn from experts. Author, coach, trainer, and subject matter expert Chris Czarnik will give the keynote on talent recruiting, engagement, and retention. In addition to networking opportunities, the Summit will include two breakout sessions on six different topics, as well as a panel discussion on the supply chain. Discounted early bird tickets are available until March 7.

AMBayArea members have many ways to support the industry. Volunteers with the group's Manufacturing Ambassador Program, for example, help educate students, educators, and parents about manufacturing careers. Teachers can request volunteers to speak to school classes about the industry and employment possibilities. The group also receives grant funds "from the Workforce Development Boards, comprised of Alameda County Workforce Development Board, Richmond Works, Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County, and Workforce Development Board of the City of Oakland, to support the development and implementation of workforce development programs and services, including the Ambassador Program, Online Manufacturing Course Catalog, Introduction to Manufacturing Online Class, and more," according to officials.

Martin is active in recruiting companies to participate in the group's apprenticeship program and to support the apprenticeship scholarships awarded twice a year for skilled trade students in community colleges. "We have received funding from the workforce development boards to really promote and encourage and get more companies to implement apprenticeships," according to Martin, who says Hacienda manufacturers interested in establishing apprenticeships within their companies or looking for apprentices are welcome to contact him directly.

There are many ways to support manufacturing in the Bay Area. Workforce development and education are key aspects of that support. In many different ways, AMBayArea is "trying to help people find good paying careers. Not jobs, but careers that they can stay in and support themselves and their families and also contribute back to the diversity and the variety of Bay Area life."

For more information about the Association of Manufacturers Bay Area, please visit www.ambayarea.com.

To register for the AMBayArea Summit 2023, please visit www.ambayarea.com/summit-2023.

To learn more about AMBayArea apprenticeships and internships, please contact Mark Martin directly at markmartin@peralta.edu.