|
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Manufacturing CEOs to Trump: It's not jobs we need...it's skills
According to press reports summarized in the National Council for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM) "Trends," President Trump invited over 20 manufacturing CEOs to the White House on February 23 to discuss ways to restore manufacturing jobs.
Reportedly, some of the CEOs suggested that there were still plenty of openings for U.S. factory jobs but too few qualified people to fill them. They urged the White House to support vocational training for the high-tech skills that today's manufacturers increasingly require.
"The jobs are there, but the skills are not," one executive said during meetings with White House officials that preceded a session with the president. The discussion of job training and worker skills is a relatively new one for Trump, who campaigned for the White House on promises to restore manufacturing jobs that he said had been lost to flawed trade deals and unfair competition from countries like Mexico and China.
White House officials said Trump heard the CEOs' concerns about a shortage of qualified workers and said he supports efforts to increase training for factory jobs. "We were challenged by the president to...come up with a program to make sure the American worker is trained for the manufacturing jobs of tomorrow," Reed Cordish, a White House official, said after Thursday's meetings.
|
|
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' encouraging remarks to community colleges
On February 16, the newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos delivered prepared remarks at the 2017 Community College National Legislative Summit, hosted by the Association of Community College Trustees and the American Association of Community Colleges.
It was encouraging to see that Secretary DeVos devoted her first public remarks to community colleges, mentioned her strong support for the Career Technical Education (CTE), and mentioned certifications.
|
|
Trump announces manufacturing job initiative
 According to Industry Week, "President Donald Trump and White House officials recently announced the launch of a Manufacturing Jobs Initiative as a part of the administration's overall job creation agenda.
Trump talked with numerous industry executives over the course of the week in meetings coordinated by Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris.
Now, according to the White House, Trump will meet regularly with many of those same top executives, working with them to "best promote jobs and get Americans back to work again."
|
|
Trump's jobs plan vs. the "skills gap"
According to another Industry Week article, "Now that Donald Trump has added president to his resume, he's eyeing another title: job creator-in-chief.
His goal is 25 million new positions across the economy, spearheaded by the factories he plans to bring back to U.S. shores. Yet he'll be working against a powerful headwind, because company leaders are already struggling to find Americans to fill manufacturing openings."
|
|
Chris Lowery, Senior VP, Workforce Alignment at Ivy Tech joins the MSSC Board of Directors
MSSC is pleased to announce that Chris Lowery, Senior Vice President, Workforce Alignment, of Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana has joined the MSSC Board of Directors.
Mr. Lowery is responsible for articulating vision, mission, strategy, and strategic objectives to drive the College's workforce alignment and development initiatives. Lowery provides overall leadership of Ivy Tech workforce alignment and development initiatives and organization. He develops deep collaborative partnerships with and engages state and federal workforce and economic development organizations, private sector organizations, business associations, and other groups pursuing workforce and economic development and training solutions for Indiana.
|
|
Dr. Katherine "Kitty" Manley
is new Chair, MSSC Certification Scheme Committee
MSSC welcomes Dr. Katherine "Kitty" Manley as the replacement for Dr. John Rauschenberger, the head of the MSSC Certification Scheme Committee. The CSC is required under ISO Standard 17024 (Personnel Certification) as the final authority on certification processes and Senior Advisor to MSSC Board on all aspects of ISO accreditation.
Dr. Manley is an eminent authority on certifications and assessments. She is a graduate professor in the College of Education and Human Services at Ferris State University where she teaches courses on integrated curriculum development, test and measurement. She earned her doctorate at Virginia Tech in Vocational Education, and her Master's and Bachelor's degrees at Florida Atlantic University.
She has been a college administrator-both at a community college and as Assistant Vice President for Curriculum & Instruction at Ferris. She has also served as a research specialist at the National Center for Research in Vocational Education at Ohio State University.
|
|
Wes Jurey joins MSSC as a Senior Advisor for Texas
We are pleased to announce that the MSSC has selected Wes Jurey as its Senior Advisor for Texas. Wes is well qualified in the field of economic and workforce skills development, having led economic development organizations in Texas for 25 years, including as head of the Chambers of Commerce in El Paso and Arlington. He serves as Chairman of the Texas Workforce Investment Commission (TWIC).
He is also well versed in all aspects of the MSSC's Certified Production Technician (CPT) and Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) training and certification programs for both entry-level and incumbent workers.
|
|
Role of CTE in bridging the "skills gap"
 As reported in the recent CIO Review article, "According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, more than half of U.S. employers report struggling with talent acquisition. This shortage is particularly acute within industries experiencing high growth and increased demand for technically trained workers, such as, healthcare, information technologies, and skilled trades."
|
|
The declining productivity of education
 According to a recent Brookings report, "U.S. economic development has stalled. We've recently learned that only about half of people born around 1980 earn more today than their parents did at a similar age. The nation's deteriorating education sector is one important factor, culpable for both weak economic growth and rising income inequality.
Intergenerational gains in learning have slowed, alongside gains in income."
"Like any other sphere of economic activity, the productivity of the education sector depends on the relationship between how much it generates in value-learning, in this case-relative to its costs. Unfortunately, productivity is way down."
Please click here for the full
Brookings article.
|
 MSSC COMMUNITY NEWS
|
|
|
Dayton mgf. association to raise $1 million for manufacturing education
 According to the Dayton Daily News, "
The Dayton Region Manufacturers Association (DRMA) will soon be on a quest to address a problem that has long bedeviled association members: Finding the next generation of manufacturing workers and entrepreneurs".
"We want to raise over $1 million," said Jim Bowman, 2017 chairman of the DRMA board.
One goal is to continue an endeavor the DRMA started last summer, a four-week training shot meant to give prospective workers the fundamentals in manufacturing.
It's nationally validated, industry-standard course designed by the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, offering a "CPT" (Certified Production Technician) credential, Erbaugh said.
|
|
KY FAME's 7 Steps to Solving the Manufacturing Skills Gap
 According to Yahoo News, the KY FAME (Kentucky Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education) is solving the manufacturing skills gap. This partnership of local manufacturers, and Amatrol, has created a sustainable pipeline of much needed skilled workers.
KY Fame's first cohort began in 2010 at the Bluegrass Community & Technical College. The program now has 23 companies participating including Toyota which used this model to establish programs in 8 other states where it has facilities. Additionally, the AMT program now has 8 chapters across Kentucky with more planned. The U.S. Department of Labor's National Career Pathway Network designated it as the "Best Career Program in the U.S." in 2013.
Please click here for the full
Yahoo News article.
|
|
Skills, trades program enriches people's lives in NC
In September, Sandhills Community College in North Carolina held a grand opening in recognition of major expansion to the Palmer Trades Center programs.
Through partnerships with local employers, the Advanced Manufacturing Program aligns class offerings and curriculum to provide employers a pipeline of skilled workers with job-specific skills.
The new advanced classes prepare students to achieve national certifications from institutes such as the National Center for Construction Education Research (NCCER),
Manufacturers' Skills Standards Council (MSSC), Electronic Technicians' Association (ETA), and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS). Class content focuses on safety and fundamental job skills to prepare students for gainful employment.
Please click here for the full
Pilot.com article.
|
|
AIME program adapts to better prepare workers
A  ccording to the Press Republican, "Aiming to provide a clear pathway to a manufacturing career, stakeholders gathered to discuss the regional AIME program.
The partners - Clinton Community College, CV-TEC, OneWorkSource, ETS and CITEC - designed the Assembling Industry: Manufacturing and Education initiative to provide the basic skills people need to land and retain a job with local manufacturers."
"The biggest change is students now earn Manufacturing Skill Standards Council certification in safety and manufacturing processes and production. That takes what they have learned and puts it in more of a hands-on environment."
|
February 2017 MSSC Students of the Month
Congratulations to Ryan Anderson and Roger Ayala from South Central Technical College for being MSSC's November and December 2016 Students of the Month!
 Ryan has shown tremendous improvement and ability in and outside the classroom. Ryan has used is CPT certificate as well as his determination to secure an internship position at a local manufacturing company where he hope to gain full time employment once finished with his two year Mechatronics Degree. Ryan has consistently done quality work while demonstrating professionalism and an outstanding work ethic which compliments his pleasant personality.
 Roger has exhibited kindness and consideration of others while articulating outstanding communications skill in, and out, of the classroom. Roger sets goals for himself with the intent to reach them. He clearly draws on his past experiences, his organizational skills, and educational background to reach his goals.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
