Expanding Economic Opportunity through Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathways

Austin, TX is working to expand access to advanced manufacturing careers to ensure that all students, regardless of background, have opportunities to pursue high-wage, high-growth jobs in an emerging sector. The FUSE Executive Fellow will develop strategic recommendations to strengthen partnerships between school districts, employers, and city agencies to improve student access to technical education pathways. Ultimately, this will help Austin build a more robust talent pipeline, support economic mobility, and foster long-term regional resilience.

Fellowship Dates: April 27, 2026 – April 23, 2027

Salary: Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual base salary of $95,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. Compensation for this year of public service is not intended to represent market-rate compensation for the experienced professionals in our program.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

FUSE is a national nonprofit working to expand social and economic opportunities, particularly for communities that have been limited by a history of systemic and institutionalized racism. FUSE partners with local governments and communities to more effectively address pressing challenges by placing experienced professionals within city and county agencies. These FUSE Executive Fellows lead strategic projects designed to advance racial equity and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 250 projects in 40 governments across 20 states, impacting the lives of 25 million people.

When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and local stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward regional priorities. FUSE then conducts an individualized search for each project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the communities being served. They are data-driven and results-oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects by developing actionable roadmaps and monitoring progress to completion.

Executive Fellows are hired as FUSE employees and embedded in government agencies for at least one year of full-time work. Throughout their fellowships, they receive training, coaching, and professional support from FUSE to help achieve their project goals. FUSE Executive Fellows bring diverse perspectives and new approaches to their projects. They build strong relationships with diverse arrays of stakeholders, foster alignment within. 

PROJECT CONTEXT

Expanding career pathways into emerging sectors that don’t require four-year college degrees, such as advanced manufacturing, is essential to ensuring equal access to opportunity and strengthening economic resilience. These careers span semiconductors, aerospace, defense, and life sciences and offer high wages and long-term stability. However, students from historically underserved communities, particularly those from lower-income households, often lack early exposure, clear pathways, and the support systems needed to pursue these careers. Without targeted intervention, students risk being excluded from evolving economic opportunities that are more dependent on advanced manufacturing careers, widening gaps in income and opportunity.

In Austin, TX, local employers and educational institutions have launched promising efforts to address these gaps. The Austin Regional Manufacturers Association (ARMA) has partnered with the City and Austin Community College (ACC) to support dual-credit training programs that allow students to earn technical credentials before high school graduation. These initiatives have led to a sixfold increase in ACC’s advanced manufacturing enrollment in five years. Additionally, the City is investing in an Infrastructure Academy and collaborating with regional organizations like E3 Alliance to align workforce development with industry needs. Still, challenges persist; school districts face capacity limitations, stigma around manufacturing careers remains strong, and coordination between education systems and employers is not yet fully optimized.

The City of Austin will partner with FUSE to strengthen partnerships across government, education, and industry to expand access to advanced manufacturing careers. The FUSE Executive Fellow will: conduct a landscape analysis and stakeholder listening tour to identify key barriers to student participation; design strategic interventions to increase enrollment in technical pathways; develop public messaging to reframe the manufac