Press Release: The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California Receives Redesignation from U.S. Department of Commerce

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, Jay Williams, delivers welcoming remarks at recent AMP SoCal Bi-Annual Meeting (Photo by David Giannamore).
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, Jay Williams, delivers welcoming remarks at recent AMP SoCal Bi-Annual Meeting (Photo by David Giannamore).

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – Today Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, announced that the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California (AMP SoCal) is among 12 regions that have been redesignated as a Manufacturing Community within the national Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) initiative.

“These IMCP-designated communities are doing their part to develop comprehensive strategies to strengthen the local manufacturing sector and to attract business investment that makes our nation more globally competitive,” said Secretary Pritzker. “This Administration’s commitment to working with local and federal partners on economic development and technical assistance supports President Obama’s goal of bolstering manufacturing, expanding exports, and creating good-paying jobs for American workers.”

Led by the University of Southern California Center for Economic Development within the Sol Price School of Public Policy, in partnership with the City of Los Angeles and over 100 organizations, AMP SoCal is focused on supporting aerospace and defense manufacturing throughout the southern 10 counties of California. The partnership was originally awarded the IMCP Manufacturing Community designation in 2014. This important distinction acknowledges the significance of the region to the nation’s economy, while also designating preference to $1.3 billion in federal funding opportunities available throughout the country.

“Today’s redesignated communities have demonstrated great strength and have become increasingly committed to improving their regional manufacturing ecosystems,” said Jay Williams, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “Manufacturers’ ability to innovate, to make, and to sell to the world is critical to local economies and our nation’s economy. I applaud these 12 communities for their efforts which contribute to this country’s economic success.”

In the first two years of its initial designation, the AMP SoCal network has created 4,347 jobs and retained 1,953 jobs within Southern California’s A&D sector. The educational partners have trained nearly 1,500 workers in A&D skills, and several AMP SoCal led programs are underway or in development to further advance a pipeline of trained workers to businesses in need of a skilled workforce. AMP SoCal is part of the recently announced Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition (SMLC) and its winning proposal that will bring the Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute to Los Angeles, a manufacturing hub award with more than $140 million in public-private funding.

“While we are glad to report that AMP SoCal is matching or exceeding its initial goals, we know that there is still much to be done,” says Leonard Mitchell, executive director of the USC Center for Economic Development and principal investigator for AMP SoCal. “The redesignation allows us to build on what we’ve started, and continue our mission of strengthening Southern California’s industrial ecosystem for aerospace and defense manufacturers.”

The 12 Redesignated Manufacturing Communities are:

U.S. Department of Commerce Press Release is available here.


 

About AMP SoCal
The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California (AMP SoCal) collaborates with organizations in both public and private sectors, across government, academia and industry, to strengthen the region’s aerospace and defense manufacturing economy. Led by the Price School – USC Center for Economic Development, in partnership with the city of Los Angeles and 84 supporting organizations, AMP SoCal focuses on the southernmost 10 counties in California. The region forms one of the initial 12 federal “Manufacturing Community” designations from the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) initiative. AMP SoCal’s shared goal is to arm aerospace and defense manufacturers and their supply chain with the provision of tools, talent, and capacity to master the future. For more information, please visit AMPSoCal.org.

About the USC Center for Economic Development
The University of Southern California Center for Economic Development (CED) serves as a leader in facilitating sustainable economic development opportunities throughout Southern and Central California. An applied research center of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, CED partners with community-based organizations, public agencies and private entities to enhance their functional capacity by tapping the energy, enthusiasm and talent of the school’s faculty, staff and students. For more information, please visit ced.usc.edu.

USC Sol Price School of Public Policy
The USC Sol Price School of Public Policy has defined excellence and innovation in public affairs education since 1929.  Ranked 4th nationwide among 272 schools of public affairs, the Price School is dedicated to teaching and research that advances society through better democratic governance, more effective social policy, and sustainable urban development.  Its graduates shape our world as leaders in government, nonprofit agencies, and the private sector. Through a time-honored commitment to public service, a legacy of strong connections to professional leaders, and a world-renowned research portfolio, the mission of the Price School is to improve the quality of life for people and their communities, here and abroad. priceschool.usc.edu

 

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