Good People Are the Backbone of Manufacturing Success
Rhode Island manufacturers often embrace lean manufacturing framework of continuous improvement for products and processes. Fundamental to the philosophy is “Respect for All,” which includes continuous improvement for people.
In an era when serving a single company for ten or twenty years is uncommon, you can produce highly skilled and loyal team members by committing to workforce development.
Companies rise and fall based on their ability to hire and retain good people. While there is no perfect team, if you hire intelligently and support thoroughly, you can build a legacy of success.
Providing retraining for your current employees can help retain workers and avoid a gap in skilled labor. With training, these employees can learn the skills necessary to continue and advance in their roles, while also advancing your company’s bottom line.
Lindsey Brickle
Workforce Program Manager,
Polaris MEP
Solutions To Your Challenges
Lean Manufacturing
Workforce Development
Growth & Strategy
How We Help
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
Boost the impact of your employee development efforts with help from Polaris MEP’s “black belt” trainers.
- Lean enterprise, continuous improvement,
- quality management systems,
- succession planning, and more.
We also “train the trainers” through proven TWI Job Methods, Job Instruction, Job Relations courses.
Watch your team transform before your eyes!
RETIRING WORKFORCE
Due to the quickly approaching retirement of baby boomers, reports indicate the manufacturing sector could lose up to 40% of its skilled employees by 2024.
Polaris MEP can help you capture the knowledge of seasoned workers and leverage it to more quickly upskill younger workers. We also connect business owners to Resource specialists in succession planning to improve resilience.
DIRECT CONNECTION TO RI DLT
Polaris MEP works closely with the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training’s “Real Jobs Rhode Island” program as well as Skills for Rhode Island’s Future, among other partners.
We know which resources offer recruitment and/or grants to meet your team development needs. Polaris MEP can help your company access these programs to hire and train a more complete workforce.
PARTNERSHIPS
Polaris MEP works with a number of government, industry, and educational workforce development partners throughout the state of Rhode Island to
- hire,
- mentor,
- train, or
- retrain
- manufacturing employees.
Through us, you can support your employees from the date of their first hire through the end of their career.
ON-DEMAND TRAINING
Our new partnership with Tooling U – SME intros 4 new ways to quickly ramp up the capabilities of a new hire, or cross train/upscale current employees.
- Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMfgA),
- Machining,
- Maintenance and
- Smart Manufacturing.
Commitment to Your Team
- Get hiring, training assistance, and funding from Polaris MEP and the Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training.
- Retain your existing workforce by supporting them with training throughout their career.
- Develop programs specific to your particular hiring and retention needs.
Related
Request for Proposals: Job Training & Support Services
Ocean Tech WorksEconomic Development AdministrationGood Jobs Award Request for Proposals: Job Training & Support Services Issued by: Polaris MEP / University of Rhode Island Research FoundationFunded by: Ocean Tech Works – EDA Good Jobs AwardProposal Deadline:...
Rhode Island Manufacturers Report Tariffs Have Negatively Impacted Their Bottom Line
Survey conducted by Polaris MEP, Rhode Island Commerce and the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association captures scope of impact from federal tariff changes on Ocean State manufacturing Providence, RI – June 30, 2025 – Of the nearly 100 Rhode Island manufacturers who...
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The Fast Track program has been a blessing. Prospective workers are starting to get trained on what employers need now. That’s the key to the program’s success. I’ve got a student right now programming complex milling machines for aerospace products, and a year ago he was designing kitchen cabinets.
Chris Goodwin
Vice President, Goodwin-Bradley Company
Category: Hire & Retain Talent
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