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Registration is now Open!
Join us on August 8th for a commemoration of 25 years of upskilling the American Workforce, as well as an opportunity to hear from some of our most impactful trainers as part of our 2023 Instructors Conference. Click here to register for this fully free event.
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MSSC Board Adds 5 New Members; MSSC Annual Leadership Meeting
Effective June 20, 2023, MSSC is excited to announce these new members to the MSSC Board of Directors:
- Craig McAtee, CEO & Executive Director, National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC)
- Sue Smith, Vice President, Ivy Tech Community College
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Jon E. Gustafson, HR Economic Development Lead for Strategic Workforce Initiatives, Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Kate Kreamer, Executive Director, Advance CTE
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Phil Jones, Director of Supply Chain Engineering, Target
MSSC's Board and Leadership Council met as a collective group on June 20th for their annual briefing. This discussion included the latest on education and industry trends, with this year's meeting placing emphasis on the rising rate of companies reshoring their operations, as well as the increasing demand for warehousing space due in large part to the growth of e-commerce. Please reach out to MSSC if you wish for more information of the outcome of this meeting.
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CT-SCA Demonstration with Amatrol and the MEP at Columbus State
On June 13th, representatives of MSSC, Target and Amatrol participated in a briefing-demo event hosted by the MEP at Columbus State that focused on the burgeoning Certified Technician – Supply Chain Automation (CT-SCA) certification and training program, as well as the Amatrol Skill Boss Logistics training and testing machine. The CT-SCA program provides a pipeline of much-needed automation technicians for distribution, fulfillment centers and warehousing operations by enabling incumbent workers and students the ability to gain the necessary skills to install, operate, support, upgrade and maintain the automated materials handling equipment and systems needed to support the supply chain. At the event, Target representatives detailed their development of a CT-SCA apprenticeship program and how it can be executed so as to supply the automation technician talent that that our economy needs.
For more information on this, please reach out to MSSC Manager of Strategic Initiatives Tyler Kennedy, tkennedy@msscusa.org.
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CPT and CLT Standards Receive Recognition by Texas Workforce Investment Council
Last month, MSSC was notified that the Texas Workforce Investment Council (Council) recognized the Manufacturing Logistics skill standards at its June 16, 2023, meeting. In the announcement, the Council credited MSSC for its expertise in the development and ongoing maintenance of the industry-defined standards for these skilled, high-wage, high-demand occupations.
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Major New Policy Trend Impacting MSSC Community
The MSSC staff has prepared a Policy Trends Brief entitled “Increased Focus on Skills in Hiring.” It cites multiple studies and reports to document a growing trend among employers, including state government agencies, towards shifting their hiring focus more on skills and experience than on college degrees. This growing trend towards skills aligns well with MSSC’s role as a leading national definer of industry skills standards and certifications for the manufacturing and supply chain logistics sectors. Our main concern is quality control over skills-based certifications. The only national certification accredited under ISO Standard 17024 (Personnel Certification) and endorsed by the National Association of Manufacturers for both manufacturing and logistics, MSSC is a national leader in quality. The best reference for quality is the April 2021 report by the industry-led Coalition for Career Development Center entitled, “Quality Assurance Guidelines for National Industry Certification Bodies."
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CIOs deem technical skills more important than degrees
CIOs are shifting away from requiring college degrees when hiring technical workers, as they prioritize skill sets over education. While degrees still matter for certain leadership roles, positions such as analysts, architects, engineers, designers, developers, programmers and help desk roles are more reliant on technical skills, according to hiring managers, CIOs and IT leaders. Full story here.
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Manufacturing Projects for EV Batteries and Semiconductors Catapult Reshoring
According to Harry Moser, President of the Reshoring Initiative, reshoring and foreign direct investment (FDI) created more than 364,000 new U.S. manufacturing jobs in 2022, a 53 percent increase from the 2021. A surge in manufacturing projects for EV batteries and semiconductor chips—combined with the continuing trend of reshoring across a broad range of industries—helped to propel current and future manufacturing jobs to a record high total. According to their data, EV battery and semiconductor investments accounted for more than half of all reshored jobs announced last year. More information of this trend can be viewed here.
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Bloomberg Report: The rush of incentives, government lending and private-sector investment has led to a manufacturing boom in the wake of the IRA
Per a June Report by Bloomberg, a US government program designed to finance futuristic energy businesses is issuing a conditional $9.2 billion loan to Ford Motor Co. for the construction of three battery factories. The enormous loan — by far the biggest government backing for a US automaker since the bailouts in the 2009 financial crisis — marks a watershed moment for President Joe Biden’s aggressive industrial policy meant to help American manufacturers catch up to China in green technologies. Read the full report here.
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The U.S. Department of Energy announces the establishment of the 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) announces the establishment of the 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board (EWAB). As detailed in its Charter, EWAB will provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy on a strategy for the Department to support and develop a skilled energy workforce that meets the current and future industry and labor needs of the energy sector. For more information on what the EWAB is tasked to do, click here.
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NAM economist offers optimistic take on the economy
The recent instances of manufacturing layoffs and plant closures aren't indicative of a larger trend, especially considering the base of nearly 13 million jobs the sector has built up, says Chad Moutray, chief economist at the National Association of Manufacturers. Companies can avoid layoffs and stay afloat by using several strategies now to prepare for any future problems or economic downturns, three manufacturing experts say. Full Story here.
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Research Roundup: Dual Enrollment, Credit Transfer and Stackable Pathways
2022 State Policies Promoting Early Postsecondary: The College in High School Alliance (CHSA) recently released its 2022 year-in-review report that summarizes key trends in state law related to college in high school programs such as dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment and early college high school. Researchers found that 263 bills across 37 states were introduced in 2022, an increase from 222 bills in 2021. Additionally, 2022 saw 54 new laws enacted across 24 states. The biggest areas of activity in enacted laws were finance as well as program integrity and credit transfer. The past year also saw an increase in laws that impact navigational supports, with five new laws in 2022 in comparison to two new laws in 2021. More information can be found here.
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Women making solid progress in manufacturing
Women now occupy about 30% of the nation's 12.1 million jobs in manufacturing, according to Census figures, but the sector continues to lag behind many others. Industry expert Lisa Caldwell, of Ernst & Young, writes in this commentary about why manufacturing is an increasingly attractive option for women and how women are bringing varied perspectives that benefit the industry. Full story can be found here.
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House Examines Postsecondary Innovation
The House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing on June 14th titled “Postsecondary Innovation: Preparing Students for Tomorrow’s Opportunities.” The hearing focused on the need to fundamentally rethink many aspects of postsecondary education, with witnesses and lawmakers discussing at length the important role career development and planning has both before, during, and after postsecondary experiences to ensure learner success. The importance of dual and concurrent enrollment opportunities was highlighted extensively during the hearing as was the need to fully invest earlier on in the educational continuum—a key strategy emphasized during the hearing to prepare students earlier on for their future endeavors. A webcast archive of the hearing, including witness testimony, can be found here.
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Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Website
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