Roto Frank of America Hosts Council Event

by Katie Brown

On Wednesday, November 28, Roto Frank of America Inc. hosted “Developing the Workforce Pipeline,” a Middlesex Chamber of Commerce’s Manufacturers’ Council event. The meeting was held in Chester, Conn., and is the latest initiative of the Manufacturers’ Council, which company officials say focuses on developing pipelines within the critical industry sector in Connecticut.

Developing the Workforce Pipeline Meeting.

The council event brought together industry members whose goal is to promote manufacturing and decrease the skilled labor shortage in the marketplace. Opening remarks were made by Larry McHugh and Jay Polke, the chamber’s president and chairman respectively. Dr. Christine Benz, training and development manager at Trumpf North America, spoke on workforce trends in the industry, while Rachel Mauer, president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce, focused on skills and innovation strategies to strengthen U.S. manufacturing.

Chris Dimou, Roto North America’s president and CEO, who sits on the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce board of directors, says, “Manufacturing is imperative to our regional economy and this forum was another important step in addressing the vital workforce pipeline issue.”

There is a significant need for closer collaboration between state agencies, community and technical colleges, as well as chambers of commerce and industry, Dimou says, in order to facilitate a holistic approach to programs and initiatives, like apprenticeships and internships.