AUSTIN, Texas — For years, the demand for more manufacturing workers has continued to grow. Friday, Skillpoint Alliance's most recent class of graduates highlights a growing industry's growing diversity.
The nonprofit graduated 12 new certified production technicians. It's the largest and most diverse class since launching the program two years ago.
"So many other women out here that are scared to do this, that are, you know, intimidated by a whole bunch of men and leading this industry," Jasmine Lee, one of the graduates, said.
Lee was one of three women graduating from this most recent six-week program. She already had some manufacturing experience, but just added the certificate and now plans to join the Austin Community College IMPACT Lab manufacturing program for the spring semester.
"I just wanted them to take me more seriously," Lee said. "I want people to know that, 'OK, this girl knows what she's doing, and she doesn't just look like this.' So I just wanted to just showcase my skills and get into a program that will help me get above, you know, doing what I've been doing."
Jimmy Carlisle, 65, graduated alongside Lee. Nearing retirement, he did not want to sit still.
"Now I have a whole lot of time, and so I can't imagine using that time sitting and dawdling," Carlisle said. "I'm not ready to be one of those people."
Ruben Dees already has an offer from a local manufacturing outfit. He joined the Skillpoint program after being laid off from his computer production job of 16 years back in October.
"I'm going to be up moving around, building stuff and putting stuff together. And to me, that's not work, that's fun," Dees said.
A job recruiter at Friday's celebration added that the manufacturing industry already has a great amount of diversity – more than people typically give it credit for.
"It's really nice for us to give those success stories to past women who don't think they can do it, or think it's male-driven," Sarah Lawrence, a manufacturing industry recruiter for Balanced Staffing, said. "Once they start on that floor, you know, [bosses] don't care if you're male or female, they just want people who are hard workers."
Skillpoint Alliance starts their next six-week program at the end of January with hopes of having their next largest and most diverse class.
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