This week, Lakes Region Community College welcomed nearly 50 local leaders and industry partners to campus for its Advanced Manufacturing Summit. The event was co-sponsored by the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and LRCC and focused on collaboration, innovation, and addressing regional workforce needs for area manufacturers.
Commissioner Taylor Caswell of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs and Karmen Gifford, President of the Laconia Chamber of Commerce led the discussion of the participants. Key topics included tariffs, workforce development, housing challenges in the Lakes Region, and evolving business needs across sectors.
Notable guests included representatives from 11 manufacturing firms, leaders and various workforce partners in the CCSNH system, officials from the City of Laconia, Apprenticeship NH, First Robotics, NH Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Granite Edvance, and other influential community and industry partners. The summit provided an important platform for networking and idea-sharing as the college seeks to expand partnerships and align its programs with high-demand industries.
“We’re committed to building programs that meet the real-world needs of both students and employers,” said Steve Tucker, LRCC’s Workforce Development Manager, one of the people involved in coordinating the event. “Today’s conversations are just the beginning of deeper collaboration to serve our region.”
The college plans to use insights from the summit to further develop workforce-aligned training and educational pathways that support the economic vitality of the Lakes Region and beyond.
