Manufacturing Alliance

The Waukesha County Manufacturing Alliance serves as a platform for manufacturers to share ideas, encourage innovation, work together to transform the image of manufacturing and target new talent.

The Waukesha County Business Alliance and leading area manufacturers formed the Waukesha County Manufacturing Alliance in 2010 in response to the critical needs of our manufacturing employers. Manufacturing accounts for 20% of industry — or 1 in 5 jobs — in Waukesha County. An unstable economy, coupled with negative perceptions of manufacturing, has made it imperative that the group dispel the myth that American manufacturing is dead. The Manufacturing Alliance holds CEO listening sessions, programs, and manufacturing tours for external audiences – all highlighting that manufacturing is alive and well in Waukesha County and the region.

Two programs of the Manufacturing Alliance are Schools2Skills™ tours and OpEx tours:

• Schools2Skills™ tours – Schools2Skills™ started in 2011 to give Waukesha County high schools the opportunity to tour local manufacturers and see firsthand the innovative and advanced technology right here in southeast Wisconsin. Schools2Skills™ is dedicated to educating students about what the manufacturing industry has to offer, showing them that a career in manufacturing allows those with highly technical skills to excel and succeed.
• OpEx tours – The Waukesha County Business Alliance hosts Operational Excellence tours for its Manufacturing Alliance members. Company leaders come together to tour a manufacturer in Waukesha County to share best practices, offer leadership level learning opportunities and foster a strong manufacturing environment in southeast Wisconsin.