Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers announced today that Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump will be the inaugural recipient of the association’s Alexander Hamilton Award.

The new award, presented to mark the 125th anniversary of the NAM and the launch of its historic “Creators Wanted” workforce campaign, recognizes leaders who, like Hamilton, inspire Americans to promote, perpetuate and preserve manufacturing in America.

“Ivanka Trump embodies the collaborative spirit and relentless drive needed to solve manufacturers’ most pressing challenge—the workforce crisis. Like no one in government has ever done, she has provided singular leadership and shown an unwavering commitment to modern manufacturing in America. The Alexander Hamilton Award honors leaders who have made exceptional contributions to growing manufacturing in the United States and to empowering more Americans with high-tech, high-paying modern manufacturing jobs,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “For her work bringing together leaders of industry, government and academia to put in-demand careers within reach for all Americans, Ivanka stands out as the perfect choice for this award.”

Trump is a champion of promoting the many pathways to well-paying, high-skilled manufacturing jobs. Last year, she attended an event at Alabama Robotics Technology Park in Huntsville to support the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program. The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce and education partner of the NAM—took over stewardship of the FAME program, originally developed and refined by Toyota, announcing the transition during the Huntsville event. FAME is the preeminent earn-and-learn manufacturing apprenticeship, employer-driven program that focuses on the culture of manufacturing along with the necessary technical skills. Trump also chairs the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, which provides advice and recommendations on ways to encourage the private sector and educational institutions to combat the skills gap crisis. Last July, Timmons joined President Trump and Ivanka Trump to sign the Pledge to America’s Workers, with manufacturers committing to provide training opportunities to 1,186,000 manufacturing workers over the next five years.

“As advances in technology and automation change the national economy, so too must the country’s education and job training systems change to prepare Americans for the emerging industries of the future, including advanced manufacturing,” said Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump. “America is home to the best workforce in the world, but the skills of today do not mirror those of tomorrow. I am committed to ensuring our workforce is equipped with the skills they need to seize the vast opportunities that lie ahead.”

The award will be presented in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12, 2020, during an NAM event to kick off the “Creators Wanted” campaign—an unprecedented, nationwide effort to reshape America’s perception of manufacturing and confront the industry’s growing skills gap. Developed by the NAM and The Manufacturing Institute, “Creators Wanted” will feature an on-the-ground, interactive mobile tour in more than 20 states designed to inspire Americans to pursue high-tech, well-paying jobs in modern manufacturing.

“The stakes are high for the manufacturing industry to fill 4.6 million jobs by 2028, according to a study by The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte,” said Timmons. “To do that, the NAM will continue to work with leaders in both parties to solve the workforce crisis and to strengthen manufacturing for the future.” 

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.37 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 63% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

-The NAM’s Alexander Hamilton Award-

Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s first secretary of the treasury, issued a Report on Manufacturers to the U.S. Congress in 1791. Concerned with the nation’s debt, dearth of foreign trade and overwhelming dependence on agriculture, he argued for the need to foster manufacturing to promote growth, security and overall well-being. Some considered his vision too radical at the time. His report represented, according to the words of one historian, “the grand design by which the United States became the greatest industrial power in the world.”