Good Morning NWFMC Talent Committee Members,

Below, for your review and use, are the draft minutes from the March 8 meeting of the Talent Committee for the Northwest Florida Manufacturers Council.  If you see anything I have in error or omitted, just let me know, however, I do ask you let me know this week, so I can edit and get on the website this weekend.  Also, I have included all those who registered to be included on the committee.  Some of you were not able to attend the first meeting, and I hope you will take a look at the minutes, particularly the listing of the Sub-Committees.  We sincerely hope you will let me know which of these sub-committees you desire to be included.  I would like to set a date/time to get the various groups together by the end of the week (phone, email, or meeting) and get to work!

Thank you so much for your time.  I know that everyone in that room on the 8th was donating time and it is appreciated!

Cindy Anderson, Executive Director

Northwest Florida Manufacturers Council

850-791-0164

Welcome:  Cindy Anderson welcomed the following people:
Therese Baker, FGNW
April Branscome, OCSB
John Digiacomo, UWF SBDC
Rob Henderson, Henderson Consulting
Rod Jaeger, Jaeger Education
Kristie Kelley, Gulf Power
Jade Kelly, Eastman Chemical
Charlin Knight, SRCSB
John McDaniel, ECSB
Debbie Mc Mullian, CareerSource FL
Edwin Mills, BCSB
Barbara Mitchell, AEM
Dennis Sherwood, NWFSC
Byron Stokes, Landrum HR
Daniel Krug, UWF
Steve Harrell, ECSB
Darwin Gilmore, Chipola College
Ben Shuman, OCSB
Zachary Riffell, Southern Regional Education Board

Cindy reminded everyone that we were gathered to build the pipeline of skilled manufacturing in NWFL.  There are now secondary programs up and running to development secondary students with either the MSSC CPT or the NCCER Core certifications, as well as teaser courses in middle school to get students interested in manufacturing related programs.  This has been successful thus far and we now hope to tie the post-secondary to the secondary and work with the post-secondary to assist them in their manufacturing related programs.

There was also the reminder of the newly updated strategic plan and these committees being developed to ensure the success of the plan.  This group was originally labelled the Workforce Training and Education Committee, however as we have moved forward the term “talent” is being used throughout the region and rolls off the tongue so much easier, consequently, with no objection, this group will be called the Talent Committee.  The Talent Committee will be made up of sub-committees which take on the various specific initiatives, report back to the Talent Committee relative to ideas and funding needs, and the chair of the Talent Committee, Kristie Kelley, will then report to the NWFMC BOD for potential approvals and funds. 

Kristie Kelley then provided an overview of the NWFL Forward initiatives, since so many of the attendees with the Talent Committee also participated with the NWFL Forward meeting.  She explained the NWFL FORWARD group was focusing on those five characteristics of a strong economy: Talent, Infrastructure, Quality of Place, Vitality, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship and, five target industries: Advanced Manufacturing, Cyber, Finance, Water and A&D.  With this in mind, the NWFL Forward group would like to integrate what the NWFMC Talent Committee plans into the NWFL Forward’s Talent Committee to eliminate duplication of time and efforts and to strengthen both committees (NWFL Forward and NWFMC).  There was discussion relative to the fact that FGNW and the local economic development organization were more focused on ensuring the assets needed for new and expanding manufacturing (i.e., Talent) were available to potential new and expanding manufacturers, and the NWFMC was more focused on the Talent needed to strengthen existing manufacturers, where, if fact, the tools are the same.

Therese Baker (FGNW) discussed the fact that manufacturing was already one of their primary focus’ for the region.  She briefed the group on the concept of the I10 corridor (Pensacola to Jacksonville) relative to manufacturing, distribution and logistics and the marketing they were developing relative to manufacturing.  They will keep the committee in the loop as they move forward ensuring all potential synergies are utilized.

Kristie then noted the papers on the wall labeled with the various initiatives already identified from the strategic planning process and blank sheets where new ideas, hopefully BIG picture ideas – more strategic than tactical.   She asked for input on the initiatives relative to accomplishing the initiatives, for someone to take ownership of the initiative and those who are willing to give time to getting the work done.  These will then be the Sub-Committees.  She outlined what she hoped the sub-committees’ steps would be: Research, Asset Map, Funding Opportunities Identification, Implementation, Evaluation (this was added at a subsequent meeting relative to marketing). 

Cindy reminded the group of the flow of information and ultimately flow of funding: Sub-Committees report ideas/funding needs to the Talent Committee, Kristie, as chair of the Talent Committee, then takes these requests to the NWFMC Board of Directors who then potentially approve concepts and funding.

Kristie then began the discussion with the group to brainstorm on the initiatives.  The following are the results of discussions.  These initiatives will be the first of the newly formed NWFMC Talent Committee - Sub-Committees. 

Career Changers
Sub-Committee Chair:             Kristie Kelley
Sub-Committee Members:      John Digiacomo, UWF SBDC
                                                Kelly Jordon, CSOW
Ideas:                                      Veterans Florida
                                                CareerSource
                                                Skill Bridge
                                                SME – Retirement to Classroom
                                                Pension

Continuous Review of Programs through Employers:
No Sub-Committee Chair/Members were identified at this time due to fact that there are just now students entering the workforce to be evaluated.  This Sub-Committee will be identified as the pipeline of students grows and enters our manufacturing facilities.
Ideas:                                       Survey employers annually
                                                 Continuous review of manufacturing programs through Advisory Committees
                                                 Curriculum Adjustments, as needed.

Career Pathways:
Sub-Committee Chair:             Cindy Anderson, NWFMC
Sub-Committee Members:       Charlin Knight, SRCSB
                                                 Jade Kelly, Eastman Chemical
                                                 Darwin Gilmore, Chipola State College
                                                 Rod Jaeger, Jaeger Education
Ideas:                                       Develop School vs Industry
                                                 Update annually
                                                 Forecast

Competitions
Sub-Committee Chair:             Ben Shuman, Okaloosa County School Board
Sub-Committee Members:      Sam Russell, UWF
                                                 Wilson Rook, PSC
                                                 Robert Henderson, Henderson Consulting
Ideas:                                       Robotics
                                                 3-D Printing
                                                 Machining
                                                 Process Improvement
                                                 Stipend/extra pay for extra-curricular activities


Educator Recruitment and Retention
Sub-Committee Chair:            April Branscome, OCSB
Sub-Committee Members:      Byron Stokes, Landrum HR
                                                Eddie Mills, BCSD                                                                                                                   John McDaniel, ECSB
                                                Debbie McMullian, CS FL
Ideas:                                      Professional Development
                                                Externships (teachers to industry)
                                                Summer Bootcamp for recruitment
                                                New recruits should substitute first
                                                Additional pay (look at Dr, Hsu’s foundation)

Scholarships
Sub-Committee Chair:              Caroline Dauzat, Rex Lumber
Sub-Committee Members:        BJ Mitchell, AEM
                                                  Dennis Sherwood, NWFSC
Ideas:                                        Allowing to continue to the post-secondary path
                                                  Funding (amounts and identification of funding)

Students: Growing our own and Retaining
This was the only new idea and will be addressed at future committee meeting


III.             Next Meeting:  Cindy will convene the individual sub-committees (in-person, email or by phone) to initiate the research and asset mapping steps.  The Talent Committee as a whole will reconvene June 7, 9:30 with the sub-committee chairs.  Cindy will ensure we can hold meeting at same place.