MSSC-Amatrol Solution to Acute Shortage of Automation Technicians in E-Commerce FacilitiesFeb1
 
The accelerated use of automation technologies within the nation's rapidly expanding e-commerce facilities underlines the need for a much larger pool of certified supply chain automation technicians. In response to that need, Amatrol and MSSC have collaborated on a highly innovative solution, which they will unveil at the MODEX, the Material Handling Industry's annual expo at Atlanta's World Congress Center, March 9-10. MSSC will preview the Certified Technician in Supply Chain Automation (CTSCA) together with a new Amatrol "Skill Boss-Logistics" hands-on training and certification device. For details, see our latest press release.
MSSC Schedules Annual Leadership Meetings for June 16-17 at Downtown JW Marriott in Houston Feb2
 
June 16 will consist of internal meetings of the MSSC Board, Leadership Council, Regional Training Solution Providers, and Senior Advisors. June 17 will be a Summit, entitled, "MSSC: Closing the Skills Gap in Texas in the Manufacturing and Logistics Sectors." 

The Summit will feature state leaders describing MSSC's wide-ranging activities in the Texas business, government, education, veterans and justice communities.  Senator Cornyn  is scheduled to speak about his leadership of the successful federal First Step Act for prison reform that supports vocational education for the incarcerated.  Paul Perkins, President of Amatrol, will demo both his "Skill Boss-Logistics" and "Skill Boss-Manufacturing" hands-on training and certification devices. For the full Summit program, follow this link

For details on registration and hotel, contact Catherine Feeney, Senior Marketing Manager, MSSC at cfeeney@msscusa.org
Community News
MSSC offers our nationally portable, industry recognized credentials to a variety of stakeholder communities, but did you know that our training and certifications can be offered to individuals who are in re-entry programs or who are currently incarcerated? Partnerships between our MSSC Assessment Centers and local correctional facilities are making it possible for those entering back into the workforce after incarceration to pursue a lucrative career path in advanced manufacturing and supply chain logistics. Follow this link to view our national report and stay tuned next month for the MSSC Community Corner edition which will have a focus on best practices of MSSC correctional programs!
Congratulations to this year's cohort of graduates from Madison Correctional!Feb3
 
In April 2019 our CEO, Neil Reddy, had the honor of speaking to the graduating class at an all women's correctional facility in Madison, IN through a partnership with Ivy Tech Community College-Madison. For background about this program, follow this link.
 
We would like to congratulate all of the cohorts at this facility that have earned our Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification and to the most recent graduating class of two cohorts who had between an 87-93% pass rate!

Ingram State Alum, Brandie McCain Featured During 2020 State of the State AddressFeb4
 
This month's MSSC student spotlight goes to Brandie McCain, former Ingram graduate and CLA-certified student who is now employed at Wright Way Staffing and Logistics! Brandie had the honor of being mentioned in the past State of the State address by Governor Kay Ivey as an example of how her life was positively impacted through correctional education in the state of Alabama.
 
McCain is one of 50 Ingram students to earn the MSSC CLA and/or Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) credentials! Access the full story via this link.
Policy & Trends
Shortage of Skilled Workers Greater Threat to Economy than AutomationFeb5

A new MIT-Conference Board study concludes that "automation anxiety distracts from a genuine, pressing problem afflicting the U.S. economy today:  a lack of skilled workers at a time of resurgent blue-collar growth." The supply of skilled workers is far less than the demand.  This study notes that the increased re-shoring of manufacturing has spurred a hiring surge resulting in the fastest employment growth since the 1970's. The swell of e-commerce has caused employment in the transportation and warehousing industries to soar by over 20%, compared with 9% across the total economy.  Another consequence is that employers are now more willing to accept credentials over degrees. For a full summary of this report follow this link.
How the skills gap is changing the degree path Feb6

To address the demand for job specific training, colleges are approaching this challenge in a variety of ways according to an article in Education Dive. Some are strengthening transfer pathways between two- and four-year schools, while others are bringing industry-recognized credentials into the curriculum that employers value. Follow this link for the full article.
Ask Congress to support the Skill Up Act! Feb7

Millions of jobs remain open because workers don't have an opportunity to develop necessary skills. The SKILL UP Act would create tax incentives to help upskill workers across a range of industries. Seventy-four percent of business leaders say their businesses would benefit from targeted tax incentives for investments in skills training for these workers. Ninety percent of likely voters support this kind of incentive to help prepare workers for jobs of the 21st century. Ask Congress to support the SKILL UP Act today by following this link to the National Skills Coalition website!
State of the Union Address Promises CTE Investments Feb8

President Trump, during the annual State of The Union Address, asked Congress to support a plan to "offer vocational and technical education in every single high school in America." Although the President has not released a specific plan of how this would be achieved, his speech was aligned with the CTE Month Proclamation. This coordination emphasizes the administration's prioritization of CTE.
President's 2021 Proposed Budget Includes Large Increase for CTEFeb9

The proposed 2021 budget included nearly $900 million in additional funding directed to career and technical education (CTE). This is composed of a $680 million increase (53%) for Perkins Basic State Grants, approximately $83 million increase (1112.8%) for Perkins National Programs (with a focus on competitive grants for innovation and modernization of programs), and over $100 million in additional funds that could be generated for Perkins through changes to the H-1B visa program. While not binding, it is a reflection of the Administration's priorities and can serve to inform congressional negotiations over spending decisions and new policy proposals. The budget proposal can be found via this link.
State Approaches to Setting High Skill, High Wage and In DemandFeb10

Advance CTE's newest paper, Aligning to Opportunity: State Approaches to Setting High Skill, High Wage and In Demand, describes approaches that states are partnering across agencies to access and review labor market information; develop definitions for high skill, high wage and in demand; provide local flexibility, while maintaining guardrails; and disseminate the information widely to key audiences. The paper can be found on the Advance CTE website.
ACTE Paper Focuses on Value of Education-Industry PartnershipFeb11

This paper summarizes existing research and presents new data about the challenges to successful CTE partnerships. This latest research, conducted in the fall of 2019, surveyed CTE administrators to discover the value of these business/industry partnerships and what tools are needed for successful partnerships.

This new research validates the understanding that the CTE community is seeking partnerships with businesses and industries to prepare learners for fulfilling careers. To accomplish this, CTE administrators need stronger relationships and better engagement. The paper can be found by following this link.
Annual Report on State Policies Impacting CTEFeb12

On the federal and state levels, 2019 was an important year for Career Technical Education (CTE). In addition to developing their four-year state plans for the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), at least  45 states enacted at least 208 policy actions related to CTE and career readiness.

Advance CTE, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and the Education Commission of the States released the seventh annual State Policies Impacting CTE: Year in Review report, examining 2019 legislative activity.
Strada Education Network Invests in Development of State Policies for Adult Learners, Disconnected YouthFeb13

With backing from Strada Education Network, the National Governor's Association Center for Best Practices and Education Commission of the States will help governors identify new ways to help working adults develop skills that enable them to compete in the future of work. The Center will launch a policy academy for a select cohort of pilot states to create state-based plans to refresh the skills of working adults. States will share their findings through a Summer Institute. More information can be found on the Strada Education website .
The Overlooked Value of Certificates and Associate's Degrees: What Students Need to Know Before They Go to CollegeFeb14

A new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) finds that field of study significantly influences future earnings for certificates and many associate degree programs since these programs are tightly linked with specific occupations. "Field of study matters most when it comes to certificates and associate's degrees," said Dr. Anthony P. Carnevale, lead author and CEW director. "A worker with an associate's degree can earn more than a worker with a bachelor's degree, and shorter-term credentials like certificates and certifications can outearn associate's degrees." Follow this link for more information.
EventsFeb15

MODEX: Atlanta, GA, March 9-12. Visit the MHEDA Booth #8644 for Demo of hands-on MSSC Certified Technician in Supply Chain Automation with "Skill Boss-Logistics" Prototype by Amatrol

 

Forum 2020: National Association of Workforce Boards, Washington, DC March 21-24


 

National Policy Seminar: Association for Career and Technical Education, Arlington, VA, March 29-April 1


 

MSSC Annual Leadership Meetings: J.W. Marriott Downtown Houston, TX, June 16-17

In this Issue