Last Monday, the White House announced several executive actions to further support U.S. manufacturing and issued a corresponding report. In the wake of this announcement, many are weighing in on where things currently stand — given the President’s original pledge to create 1 million new manufacturing jobs by the end of 2016. According to an article by Meagan Clark of International Business Times titled Obama Administration’s Plans To Boost Manufacturing Have A Long Way To Go — (the title says it all — there is still a long way to go), the President himself recently announced new plans to reach the goal:

“President Obama’s plan announced Monday to strengthen U.S. manufacturing hopes to create jobs, but the effort won’t generate nearly enough to replace the more than 6 million positions that disappeared in the last decade and a half. The White House said NASA and the departments of Defense, Energy and Agriculture will invest more than $300 million in emerging technologies like bio-based materials and advanced sensors for manufacturing.”

“As part of the effort, National Science Foundation will establish two manufacturing research hubs, the U.S. Department of Labor will launch a $100 million competition to award grants and fund apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing and the Department of Commerce will launch a $130 million competition to help small manufacturers adopt advanced technology.”

As our long-time followers know, the City of Fremont is a BIG supporter of manufacturing, and we applaud the continued action taken by the Federal Government. Investments in emerging technologies and advanced manufacturing are sure to aid in the overall job creation effort and will help individual cities, likeFremont, to do their part in adding to the manufacturing numbers. With nearly 900 manufacturing companies in Fremont, this makes up 23 percent of our workforce — far higher than the national average.

Clark’s article even acknowledges that “after contracting sharply, U.S. manufacturing remains a world leader, second only to China in the total dollar value of goods produced. Unlike the low-end goods with thin profit margins manufactured in China, the expensive and complicated products made in American factories, like medical equipment and commercial aircraft, require specialized skills.”

With advanced manufacturing at the core of our Innovation District strategy, Fremont has a lot riding on the continued growth in production of highly customized, I.P.-intensive products. Customer demand will ultimately determine the market for these products. But funding resources like those just announced — directed at the broader manufacturing ecosystem, including workforce and supply chain networks — will only help ensure they are made in the USA.