The $1 Trillion Workforce Opportunity for Rural Education
Duwain Pinder, Partner at McKinsey & Company
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Rural America is on the brink of an economic transformation. With more than $1 trillion in advanced manufacturing investments (and nearly two-thirds of that flowing into rural regions) this moment represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalize local economies, strengthen school-industry partnerships, and empower students with career pathways in advanced manufacturing.
In this episode of The TechEd Podcast, host Matt Kirchner sits down with Duwain Pinder, Partner at McKinsey & Company and a leader of the McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility to explore the institute’s new report: Manufacturing in rural America: A plan for K–12–industry partnerships
This conversation examines the gap between the career-connected learning students want access to, and the opportunities afforded them in rural districts. Matt and Duwain discuss how manufacturers and school districts can work together to close this gap and prepare the next generation for the influx of jobs coming to rural America.
Listen to learn:
- Why 63% of $1 trillion in new U.S. manufacturing investment happening within 15 miles of rural communities means for K-12 education
- How we solve the problem of 8 in 10 students wanting access to career-connected learning, but only 3 in 10 having it
- The $34 billion annual wage impact advanced manufacturing could create for rural Americans, and what must happen to realize it
- Why employers should think about school districts like they do about their suppliers
- What success could look like in 2035 if schools and industry build long-term, evidence-based partnerships that sustain economic mobility
3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:
1. Rural America is the new frontier for advanced manufacturing. McKinsey’s analysis found that 63 % of $1 trillion in announced U.S. manufacturing investments are being built within 15 miles of rural communities. Pinder explains that these projects will define America’s manufacturing future and bring high-quality jobs to places that have long been left behind.
2. The skills gap solution isn’t either-or...students need basic academic and technical skills. McKinsey’s research shows that foundational reading and math scores are eroding across the U.S., especially in rural communities, even as demand grows for advanced manufacturing talent. Duwain and Matt agree that employers shouldn’t accept this trade-off. Students must graduate ready to read, calculate, and communicate and understand robotics, PLCs, and other manufacturing tech, which requires schools and employers to work together on both fronts.
3. Using existing successful models (not always reinventing the wheel) will help rural K-12 accelerate and scale career-connected learning. Nearly 8 in 10 rural students want apprenticeships and hands-on learning, yet only 3 in 10 can access them, a gap that represents a massive opportunity. Evidence-based models like youth apprenticeships, dual-enrollment, and early-college high schools already exist. If districts embrace these, plus partner with employers and workforce associations, they can create career-connected learning more quickly.
Resources in this Episode:
Read the McKinsey report: Manufacturing in rural America: A plan for K–12–industry partnerships
Other resources mentioned:
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