Erie’s Advanced Industries: A Discussion of the Findings of the Second Jefferson Essay

The backbone of the American economy in the 21st Century, advanced industries invest deeply in research and development as they nurture and procure skilled labor capable of innovating and adapting to the needs and demands of market forces and industrial change. According to the Brookings Institution’s study on America’s Advanced Industries, “U.S. advanced industries generate a large and rising share of the nation’s GDP and, after years of decline, have led the post-recession employment recovery.” There are 50 advanced industries in the United States, of which 27 are represented in the Erie economy. This presentation examines the current state of advanced industries in Erie and the potential for growth and innovation in advanced industrial sectors as the region defines its path toward a robust economic future. Jim Wertz, Ph.D. and Perry Wood, M.S.