Prima Civitas is working with the Maker’s Coalition to re-establish an industry that has been brought back to Lansing’s attention through the establishment of The Runway Fashion Incubator; the Cut and Sew Industry. While the incubator has sewing machines that will take a design from prototype to product, this industry is much more than clothes.
The Cut and Sew Industry can include awnings, tarps, clothing, boat covers, leather goods and much more. But whatever they produce, they need human hands to create it. And, in many of the companies in this industry, those human hands are about to retire. Prima Civitas and the Maker’s Coalition want to work with community colleges to provide the training one would need to enter the growing industry. “We want to couple the curriculum with a workforce development program,” says Prima Civitas CEO, Arnold Weinfeld, “Hopefully to get people on the job and re-establish the industry in Michigan.”
The program has already been initiated in Southeast Michigan but they see Lansing as a great future city. They are looking to establish a program of six months or less that would teach sewing techniques, preparing people for a career with good wages and bright future.
Source: Arnold Weinfeld, Prima Civitas
Author: Allison Monroe, Innovation News Editor
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