Community colleges are deepening ties to local manufacturing employers to rebuild a skilled workforce, according to Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center reports. The article highlights how two-year institutions like Clark State College rapidly develop industry-aligned certificates and applied degrees that can be stacked into bachelor’s credentials, offering quicker pathways into manufacturing careers. Authors note community colleges’ strengths: affordability, local employer alignment and curricular agility. Apprenticeship penetration remains low nationally, but colleges are filling the gap by offering credit-bearing programs that employers value and that preserve transferability for students seeking four-year degrees. Campus workforce and continuing-education offices should prioritize employer advisory boards, rapid curriculum updates, and articulation agreements so training investments translate into durable career ladders for students and reliable pipelines for industry partners.