“To build on the progress we have made over the last five years, we have to continue to take action to help strengthen economic growth, create jobs, and restore opportunity for all,” Secretary Lew said.  “As I saw, CCAM is at the forefront of expanding opportunity by bringing researchers, students, and business together to drive innovation and develop advanced manufacturing technologies.  It is also a powerful example of why this Administration’s focus on increasing job training, modernizing our education system, and creating manufacturing institutes is so important.”

Secretary Lew visited with its members in a roundtable discussion prior to touring CCAM.  Dr. Bob Fagan, chief technology officer at CCAM saw the Secretary’s visit as an opportunity to showcase CCAM’s mission on a national platform.  “The Secretary was keenly interested in the discussion, particularly in both our workforce development as well as the research activities taking place here today.  Our members were also very pleased to be part of the engagement, to tell the CCAM story, their participation and the critical role it plays in the Commonwealth,” Fagan said.

As the President said, the administration’s top priority remains expanding job and economic opportunity for all.   To make sure the United States continues to be the best place on Earth to do business, the President has proposed launching four new manufacturing institutes in 2014, a government-wide review of federal training programs to help Americans get skills in demand for good jobs, and expanding apprenticeships by mobilizing business, community colleges and labor.