USNH Chancellor Highlights Valuable Role of Manufacturing in NH in Keynote Address at Governor’s Manufacturing Conference

Dr. Reno highlights intersections between higher education and manufacturing

October 12, 2006 – MANCHESTER, NH – The University System of New Hampshire (USNH) Chancellor Stephen Reno told a large audience of manufacturers that manufacturing today is transforming to brain power and from making products to crafting and delivering solutions. He spoke about the important role of manufacturing in New Hampshire and the role of the state’s public university system in terms of supporting the manufacturing sector in a keynote address before 150 people at the 4 th Annual Governor’s Manufacturing Summit on October 11, 2006.

Chancellor Reno highlighted the fact that manufacturing accounts for one out of every seven jobs in New Hampshire and two-thirds of the state’s high technology jobs are part of the manufacturing sector – double the national average. He stated that manufacturing accounts for 22 percent of the state’s gross state product, but cited several concerns about manufacturing in New Hampshire. Specifically, he said manufacturing employment has declined from 14% of total employment between 2002 and 2006 and that the manufacturing sector accounted for 22.4 percent of the 28,000 jobs lost between 2000 and 2005, the largest of any sector of the workforce.

“We are witnessing major changes in manufacturing – from a reliance on hand power to brain power; from making things for customers to making things with customers,” he said. He referenced cell phones and I-Pods and two examples of manufactured products that have opened the doors for numerous add-on products, services, and industries, such as downloadable music and videos, data storage, and wireless communications.

In referencing the most appropriate role for the University System of New Hampshire to assist the manufacturing sector, he cited the need to help students be better prepared manufacturing leaders and workers. “We need to educate students in different cultures and countries, educate students in technical fields and make technological know-how part of the college experience, and we need to expose, excite, educate, and give students practice in entrepreneurship,” he said.

The Governor’s Manufacturing Summit is a yearly event that attracts individuals from across the state, including senior managers of small, medium, and large manufacturing companies, as well as policy-makers. Governor John Lynch provided welcoming comments. The event is organized by the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, in conjunction with the New Hampshire Business Resource Center and the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension partnership.

About the University System of New Hampshire:
The mission of the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) is to serve the higher educational needs of the people of New Hampshire. Through its sister institutions (University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, Keene State College, and Granite State College), USNH presently serves almost 30,000 students and awards almost half of the bachelor’s degrees earned each year in New Hampshire

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