New Data Brief: Students With High Needs Show Resilience Through Scaling Transformative Advanced Manufacturing Pathways

As Illinois continues to grow as a hub for advanced manufacturing, the need for a skilled and diverse workforce is more critical than ever. To meet this demand, EdSystems and the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association partnered in 2022 to launch the Scaling Transformative Advanced Manufacturing Pathways (STAMP). This innovative program supports school districts, postsecondary partners, and employers to align secondary-to-postsecondary manufacturing pathways with the Illinois College and Career Pathway Endorsement framework. Across the participating districts, more than 6,000 high school students to date have gained critical hands-on experience that positions them for high-wage, sustainable careers in manufacturing.

Manufacturing skills are a reliable pathway to economic opportunity. As college retention rates have dropped during and after the pandemic, especially for students from historically marginalized racial and economic groups (Howell et al. 2021), and as underemployment among college graduates is nearly 50% on average and greater for underrepresented groups (Strada 2024), industry-specific educational programs offer skills at a low barrier to entry that can help bridge the racial and gender-based economic gap. Yet, are students who face the most significant barriers to opportunity obtaining such skills that can positively shape their economic trajectories? Do persistence and success through skill-based learning programs differ for students in low-income households compared with their more economically stable counterparts?

Explore our initial findings in the new data brief, Students With High Needs Show Resilience Through Scaling Transformative Advanced Manufacturing Pathways.