The U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) to support jointly the expansion of domestic manufacturing and the skilled workforce pipeline that supports it. 

Released on July 16, the agreement is designed to align small business support initiatives with national workforce training initiatives. Under the official DOL announcement, the partnership will encourage manufacturing apprenticeships, assist small manufacturers in gaining access to funding, and increase job readiness throughout the industry.

The SBA's release emphasizes the way in which the partnership expands on its mission to increase American-made production and build resilient supply chains. The SBA and DOL, through joint collaboration, seek to ensure that federal assistance makes it to small manufacturers while assisting in training the future generation of skilled laborers. According to the Business Journals network, the MOU will increase efforts to develop the workforce through technical support, linking training assets with employers, and assisting in creating new jobs in high-growth industries.

This collaboration occurs while the SBA also revises its regulations for federal contractors to more accurately reflect contemporary supply chain needs. The agency's most recent procurement scorecard also indicates consistent federal spending with small manufacturers but emphasizes the importance of improved workforce alignment. 

As skilled labor shortages plague both construction and manufacturing, federal agencies are going all in on coordinated efforts to fortify U.S. industry from the foundation up.