Gardner Carrick is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for the Manufacturing Institute at the National Association of Manufacturers. Mr. Carrick leads the Institute’s research activities including partnerships with internationally recognized consulting firms and the regular production of reports on the issues and challenges affecting the U.S. manufacturing sector. He has co-authored a series of reports with PwC analyzing the adoption and use of advanced technologies by U.S. manufacturers including 3D Printing, Advanced Robotics, Internet of Things, and Virtual & Augmented Reality. Mr. Carrick also leads the development of a national education data system that will integrate education, certification, and labor market data to deliver outcome information on education programs. Prior to joining the Manufacturing Institute, Mr. Carrick was the Strategic Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Employment and Training at the U.S. Department of Labor and directed a $325 million initiative to integrate economic and workforce development activities. He also served as the agency’s Communications Director and Speechwriter. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.