NE Chamber, Dept. of Labor announce new community college manufacturing credential

LINCOLN, Nebraska — March 23, 2026 — A new and innovative workforce development program will improve Nebraska workers’ readiness for manufacturing jobs and help industries fill their skilled labor shortage.

In conjunction with Manufacturing Day at the Capitol, the collaborators announced today a partnership among the Nebraska State Chamber Foundation, the state’s six community colleges, and the Department of Labor, to deliver modular, employer-based training to students or existing workers to earn Level 1 Manufacturing Certifications.

“This initiative is about meeting Nebraska’s workforce needs head-on by providing flexible, accessible training for new workers, career-changers, and those looking to upskill,” said Commissioner of Labor Katie Thurber. “By making these standardized manufacturing credentials available, we’re opening doors to rewarding careers and helping employers find the skilled talent they need to thrive.”

The program establishes a statewide, stackable entry-level Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance Credential that verifies manufacturing skills and creates a consistent industry-recognized standard across Nebraska. It establishes the community colleges as registered apprenticeship hubs, supports curriculum development for the credential, funds instructional designers, instructors, and skills coaches; helps purchase equipment and support student success at the colleges.

“The need for accessible skills-training is a barrier to Nebraska manufacturing careers. With over 47,000 job openings statewide, and more than 109,000 Nebraskans employed in manufacturing, our employers face persistent hiring challenges that threaten their long-term economic competitiveness – and the vitality of Nebraska,” said Marc LeBaron, Chair of the NE Chamber Foundation and CEO of Lincoln Industries. “This initiative strengthens Nebraska’s talent pipeline by aligning training with employer demand, embedding pre-apprenticeship pathways into statewide systems. This collaboration is a win for Nebraska.”

As many as 231 learners annually will be able to participate in the program at no cost to them, producing over 500 Level 1 manufacturing credential completers over the two-year project.

The credential consists of eight modules focused on manufacturing skills: Workplace Safety and OSHA Concepts; Quality Control and Defect Identification; Daily Readiness and Personal Responsibility; Introduction to Manufacturing Metrics; Tool Use, Gauging, Basic Math and Blueprint Reading; Workplace Communication and Teamwork; Problem Solving and Critical Thinking; and Foundations of Lean Manufacturing.

Each of Nebraska’s community colleges are participating: Southeast, Northeast, Mid-Plains, Central, Metro and Western. The colleges will employ apprenticeship coordinators, career skills coaches, instructors, curriculum and instructional designers, and purchase training equipment and support exam fees for students earning the credential.

In addition to taking the courses tuition-free, students receive stipends for participating in them. The credential can be completed in 6-8 weeks by attending one class per week. Additionally, students can go on to earn Level 2 or 3 manufacturing certificates.

Students participating can be youth or high-school-aged learners, adults studying for their GED, or high school graduates and industry professionals wanting to “upskill” or learn new technologies. Upskilling can earn workers higher wages and promotion.

A cohort of 13 students is already underway at Metro Community College, and other classes are set to begin at Southeast, Northeast, Central, Mid-Plains, and Western Community Colleges in March and April.

Tammy Green, Executive Director of Statewide Workforce Initiatives at Metro, stressed the importance of community colleges partnering with manufacturers in their region – to be able to directly connect the students with manufacturing apprenticeships and job openings, and the skills needed for those roles.

“This is industry-led, which is very important,” said Green. “We needed to make sure that the folks we are training, and who the manufacturers are hiring, can actually do the job. And, we won’t run a program without knowing there are enough jobs for them.”

The involvement of the Nebraska Manufacturers Alliance, activating area manufacturers to work with the colleges on the curriculum, was a key to the success.

“Our business partners are already at the table, ready to hire,” said Green. The community college collaboration with each other to develop the curriculum alongside the manufacturing association and local manufacturers gives regions the ability to customize the training.

“This is not a one-size-fits-all,” she said. “Western’s region, manufacturers and their job market looks so different than Metro’s, for example. “The collaboration has enabled an entire ecosystem. That’s the power of the Chamber and NeMAC, we don’t have just one business at the table ready to hire people – there’s four or five with open positions.

“This will be a life-changer for a lot of people.”

Funding for the $7 million project is from the state’s Workforce Development Program Cash Fund.

Prospective students interested in enrolling should contact their community college. Manufacturers wanting to learn more can contact the NE Chamber.

What others are saying:
Southeast Community College President Paul Illich: "Southeast Community College is proud to partner with our regional manufacturers and to connect Nebraskans with meaningful careers in the industry. This credential gives our students a fast, affordable pathway to jobs that are available right now. What makes this program so powerful is that it’s built around the specific needs of our region with our local manufacturers helping to shape the curriculum to make sure our graduates are prepared for the job on day one. We’re excited to welcome our first cohort in March and connecting them with opportunities to drive the state's workforce forward."
Central Community College President Matt Gotschall: “The curriculum development was completely driven by manufacturers through multiple meetings to identify common competencies for both level 1 and level 2 micro-credentials. These micro-credentials will eventually lead into future programs that will be aligned with the College’s more traditional apprenticeship and degree programs. Each level is designed to be as short as 8 weeks in length, but prepares individuals for entry level manufacturing careers across a multitude of employers. Level one will qualify as a pre-apprenticeship and we will have adult education and technical instructors working together to support student learning. In addition to the educational support, financial incentives to assist with overcoming obstacles outside of the classroom like transportation, childcare or technology will further assist in retention and completion efforts. CCC hopes to begin our first cohort later this spring.”
Northeast Community College President Leah Barrett: “At Northeast, our work in manufacturing has always been grounded in close collaboration with industry partners. This statewide initiative is a powerful example of how community colleges and industry can work together to meet workforce demands and support economic vitality across the state.”

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