Employer-led effort connects manufacturers, colleges, and workforce partners to address growing technician demand across North Texas

Dallas–Fort Worth, TX — May 19, 2026 — ManufacturingDFWTM, a new manufacturing workforce effort powered by Unmudl and launched in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas through its Pathways to Work initiative, officially launches today to help address one of the region’s most pressing economic challenges: the growing shortage of skilled manufacturing technicians.

The effort brings together manufacturers, community and technical colleges, workforce organizations, and civic leaders to strengthen technician hiring pipelines across Dallas–Fort Worth and better align workforce training with real employer demand.

Vistra, one of the nation’s leading integrated retail electricity and power generation companies, is participating as an anchor employer partner in the launch effort.

“Like many industrial employers, we are navigating a rapidly changing workforce environment shaped by growing demand, evolving technologies, and an aging skilled workforce,” said Annette Underwood, VP of HR and Workforce Development at Vistra. “Building stronger technician pipelines is increasingly important not only for our company, but for the long-term resilience of the broader industrial economy in Texas. ManufacturingDFW represents the kind of regional coordination needed to help employers connect more effectively with future talent.”

According to labor market data, Dallas–Fort Worth employs approximately 312,000 manufacturing workers, yet manufacturers across the region continue to face persistent shortages in skilled technician roles tied to production, maintenance, and industrial operations.

ManufacturingDFW is the manufacturing-focused workforce effort launched through United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ Pathways to Work strategy, which aims to strengthen career-connected pathways and expand access to living-wage careers across North Texas.

“Pathways to Work was created to help North Texas employers, educators, and workforce organizations work more cohesively around the barriers preventing people from accessing living-wage careers,” said Greg Mangum, Vice President, Economic Mobility, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “ManufacturingDFW is an important example of that work in action, aligning employers, training providers, and workforce partners around real hiring demand and stronger pathways into manufacturing and industrial careers.”

ManufacturingDFW also represents one of the first implementations of the broader Technician Economy™ framework introduced nationally by Unmudl earlier this month. The framework reflects a growing challenge facing industrial regions across the country: demand for skilled technicians is rising faster than the systems designed to train, connect, and support them.

“Technicians are the workforce that converts investment into operating capacity,” said Dr. Parminder Jassal, co-founder and CEO of Unmudl. “The Technician Economy reflects a growing reality across the country. Regions can no longer compete on investment alone. They must also be able to operate, maintain, and sustain modern industry at scale. ManufacturingDFW is an example of what that coordination can look like in practice, with employers, colleges, workforce organizations, and regional leadership working together around real workforce demand and real hiring outcomes.”

Through ManufacturingDFW, employers can share hiring needs, help shape training pathways aligned to in-demand skills, connect directly to technician talent pipelines, and participate in a more coordinated workforce ecosystem across the region.

‍

About ManufacturingDFWTM

ManufacturingDFWTM is a manufacturing workforce initiative connecting employers directly to coordinated technician training and hiring pipelines across Dallas–Fort Worth. Anchored through United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ Pathways to Work initiative and powered by Unmudl’s Skills-to-Jobs® infrastructure, ManufacturingDFW helps manufacturers connect to technician talent while expanding access to living-wage careers.

‍

About Unmudl

Founded by America’s community and technical colleges, Unmudl is a Skills-to-Jobs Marketplace® for technicians and a Public Benefit Corporation that operates the coordinating infrastructure behind the Technician Economy™. Unmudl enables employers, colleges, and working learners to align around real workforce demand and workforce deployment at scale.

For more information, visit unmudl.com

‍

Media Contact:

Albert Stichka

albert@elkordyglobal.com

‍
Frequently Asked Questions:

What is ManufacturingDFW?+
ManufacturingDFW is a new manufacturing workforce effort powered by Unmudl and launched in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas through its Pathways to Work initiative. It connects manufacturers directly to coordinated technician training and hiring pipelines across Dallas–Fort Worth, and it's one of the first regional implementations of the broader Technician Economy™ framework Unmudl introduced nationally earlier this month.
What problem is ManufacturingDFW trying to solve?+
Dallas–Fort Worth employs roughly 312,000 manufacturing workers, but manufacturers across the region still face persistent shortages of skilled technicians in production, maintenance, and industrial operations. ManufacturingDFW aims to close that gap by bringing manufacturers, community and technical colleges, workforce organizations, and civic leaders together to better align training with real, current employer demand rather than leaving each employer to solve hiring on its own.
Who is involved in launching ManufacturingDFW?+
The effort is anchored through United Way of Metropolitan Dallas' Pathways to Work initiative and runs on Unmudl's Skills-to-Jobs® infrastructure. Vistra, a major integrated retail electricity and power generation company, is participating as an anchor employer partner. Unmudl itself is a Public Benefit Corporation founded by America's community and technical colleges.
How can employers get involved with ManufacturingDFW?+
Through ManufacturingDFW, employers can share their hiring needs, help shape training pathways aligned to in-demand skills, connect directly to technician talent pipelines, and take part in a more coordinated regional workforce ecosystem, rather than recruiting technicians through separate, disconnected channels.