| About Us |
The Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council is a partnership of the region's labor, business, government, education and community leaders working together to establish the Chicago area as a global leader in advanced, high value-added manufacturing.Manufacturing is the single most important sector of the Chicago area's economy. The industry has the largest positive 'ripple effect' on the rest of the economy: each manufacturing job creates three more in related sectors. The industry is directly and indirectly responsible for over 1.7 million jobs in Chicago.The Renaissance Council's flagship initiative is Austin Polytechnical Academy (APA), an advanced manufacturing-focused public high school on Chicago's west side that prepares students for leadership in all areas of the industry.APA students learn about careers in manufacturing by working with our committed partner companies, who provide students with industry exposure and financial support. Our partners contributed over $150,000 to create our new Manufacturing Technology Center, a state of the art on-campus machining facility where students can earn industry-recognized credentials from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills.
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| Support Us | Your support makes our success possible. We need your help to deliver the resources, networks, and programs to help develop a skilled workforce and keep us on the cutting edge of innovation.
Please make your check payable to the Center for Labor & Community Research and mail it to us at 3411 West Diversey, Suite 10, Chicago, Illinois 60647. CLCR is the non-profit fiscal and operational sponsor of the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council.
You can also contribute online securely through PayPal by clicking below:
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| Contact Us | 3411 West Diversey, Suite 10
Chicago, Illinois 60647
P: 773-278-5418
F: 773-278-5918
chicagomanufacturing.org
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How economic growth is made in Germany
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by Dan Swinney
Executive Director
The Renaissance Council has always drawn from international best practices -- particularly those of industrialized European countries. A recent article by Harold Meyerson in the Washington Post inspired me to take a new look at Germany.
Germany's economy is as strong as ever -- with rising wages, low unemployment, and export rates second only to China's. "It's quite a turnabout for an economy that American and British bankers and economists derided for years as the sick man of Europe," Meyerson notes.
So what's Germany's secret?
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The Renaissance Council in Crain's Chicago Business
| Twice this December, Crain's Chicago Business turned to the Renaissance Council for expert opinion on manufacturing in Chicago. Check out executive director Dan Swinney's comments in the December 6 article "Skilled labor in peak demand at precision firms" and the December 8 edition of Chicago Business Today, "Home-field advantage":
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A manufacturing labor shortage?
|  How is it possible that during this time of record, long-term unemployment, so many good, well-paying manufacturing jobs are going unfilled?
Rapid changes in the technology of manufacturing and a critical shortage of training programs that are up to the task of putting people into the jobs created by that new technology are two of the most important parts of the puzzle.
On November 16, National Public Radio discussed the skilled labor shortage with Ed Gordon, noted author, international workforce talent expert, and Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council board member.
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APA in 2010: Successes, challenges, and reflections
|  This past year has been an eventful time for Austin Polytech. Our program is attracting media attention locally and nationally, and we're seeing tangible progress preparing the next generation of manufacturing leaders.
In 2010, APA achieved a number of great successes, academically as well as in our career program:
- APA placed in the top 20 CPS schools for ACT math score improvement, ranking among Chicago's top-level magnet and college prep schools (story)
- 23 students earned machining credentials from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills, with 115 more students currently in training (story)
- Over the summer, 28 students earned paid manufacturing work experience through summer jobs with partner companies and machining training in the MTC (story)
- Our partners facilitated 8 weekly workshops, including a patent law class with John Marshall Law School where 10 students earned law school scholarships (story)
Austin Polytech has also faced its fair share of challenges. We are working with students who enter the 9th grade often with a 3rd or 4th grade level in reading and math. We had the challenges of a start-up school. There's a common misperception that the Renaissance Council operates the school. We don't. We provide staff for the career and community programs, resources, and certainly have influence, but APA is a "performance school" rather than an independently operated contract or charter school.
As a result of the first three years performance, CPS put Austin Polytech on academic probation as they have 10 other of the 12 high schools on the West Side. We applaud this step, as we've had concerns regarding academic performance for over two years. We're also very pleased with APA's new principal, Mr. Fabby Williams. He's committed to the mission, and is building a strong culture for high performance within the school.
Our work is challenging on many levels, but the Renaissance Council remains 100% committed to support and assist Austin Polytech in addressing these issues. We are confident APA will will come out of academic probation as it continues to demonstrate the value of partnerships between public schools and the manufacturing sector.
For more in-depth analysis about the APA model and its progress, check out "Austin Polytech: Building the Road as We Travel" by Dan Swinney, executive director of the Renaissance Council and founder of APA.
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