MSSC Partnership with ACT Highlighted at Workforce Summit

MSSC CEO Neil Reddy had the opportunity to highlight MSSC's partnership with ACT WorkKeys at last month's ACT Workforce Summitt in New Orleans. The ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) helps ensure that individuals have the academic and employability skills needed to enter a demanding MSSC advanced manufacturing (CPT 4.0) and/or advanced material handling (CLT 4.0) certification program of training and assessment. Accelerating the use of these credentials will help individuals find jobs and provide employers with workers who have the academic, employability and 21st century advanced manufacturing and logistics skills important to success. MSSC and ACT have partnered to provide a stackable certification for next-generation careers in both Advanced Manufacturing and Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics. Please reach out to Tyler Kennedy (tkennedy@msscusa.org) with questions about this partnership.

Attending ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2022? We'll be there!

On Thursday, Dec. 1st at 4 pm PST, MSSC CEO Neil Reddy will be taking the stage with Paul Aiello, Executive Director of Education at FANUC America Corporation, and Anne Gielczyk, Vice President of Nocti Business Solutions, for a presentation titled "Automated Manufacturing on Steroids" that will highlight how MSSC and FANUC have worked together to create a career pathway for emerging technicians to seamlessly transition from earning an MSSC Certified Production Technician certification into a FANUC Robot Operator training program. Get more info about the presentation here.

Congressional Action Update

Before going on extended recess prior to the midterm elections, Congress was able to successfully pass short-term funding legislation, known as a continuing resolution (CR). This CR extends current fiscal year 2022 (FY22) funding levels for all federal programs, including the Carl D. Perkins Act (Perkins V), through December 16. By that date, lawmakers will next need to act by either passing an additional funding extension at that time or completing work on a more comprehensive funding proposal for the federal government. The length of the CR is intended to provide Congress additional time to campaign ahead of the fast-approaching midterm elections. 

House Education and Labor Chairman Introduces College Affordability Legislation

The LOAN Act would lower the cost of college for current and future student borrowers and their families. The legislation doubles the federal Pell Grant by increasing the max award over 5 years to $13,000; improves the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program by shortening the time to forgiveness and broadly codifying the current PSLF waiver; makes loans less expensive by expanding access to subsidized loans, limiting capitalization of interest including after forbearance and deferment, and creating a safety net for vulnerable borrowers; and lowers interest rates by ensuring that no new loan will have an interest rate higher than 5 percent and allowing both federal and private borrowers to take advantage of these lower rates. Read more about the bill.   

DOL Announces final rule to rescind the IRAP

The Department of Labor ends the Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP) and will direct the department’s resources toward Registered Apprenticeships to expand access to good-paying jobs and create reliable pathways to the middle class. The department will work with previously recognized SREs and IRAPs to explore opportunities to become program sponsors or intermediaries in the RA system and will provide IRAP apprentices with resources to connect them with Registered Apprenticeship training opportunities. Read the press release here. 

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Releases Postsecondary Enrollment Data

 On October 17, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released postsecondary enrollment data covering the fall 2022 semester. Key findings revealed that overall postsecondary enrollment is down, but community colleges are continuing to see strong enrollment numbers boosted by increasing numbers of matriculating students. You can read the full report here.

State Policy Playbook to Advance Youth Apprenticeship

This playbook, written in partnership between Advance CTE, National Governors Association (NGA,) and New America Foundation, outlines actions state leaders can take to enable and support the expansion of youth apprenticeship within a more extensive work-based learning and career readiness ecosystem. The actions discussed here can also advance other forms of work-based learning and apprenticeship for youth and adults.    

Why Employers Should Recognize Skills Certificates

Employers can increase their talent pool, improve workforce diversity, and find people who have relevant and specific skills by considering candidates who have obtained certificates through credentialed training programs, instead of exclusively requiring college degrees, HR leaders say. "We call these 'new-collar jobs,' and they're aligned to careers that require the right set of skills and a commitment to lifelong learning," says Tommy Wenzlau, talent leader for IBM's new-collar initiatives. Full Story can be found here.

Impacts of Industry-recognized Credentials

A recent study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute examined how completing industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) in high school impacted students’ short-term postsecondary education and employment outcomes. Researchers utilized data from Texas high school students who graduated between 2017 and 2019.   

DOL Announces the Yes, WIOA Can! Initiative

The Department of Labor launched the new initiative to strengthen the nation’s workforce development infrastructure. The Yes, WIOA Can! campaign will provide information on how WIOA can be used to further innovation, equity and job quality. DOL will share local and state examples of how workforce partners are leveraging those flexibilities to achieve big things and drive equitable outcomes. The DOL will work with local workforce boards, state workforce leaders, workers and worker organizations, labor management partnerships, employers, industry associations, and community-based organizations to unleash the full power of WIOA to connect people to good jobs and employers to workers who are equipped with the tools and skills needed. More information can be found here.

Dual-enrollment programs expanding in US

Every US state offers a dual-enrollment program, with 87 programs in place -- up from 48 in 2019 -- according to the Education Commission of the States. Yet, Sharmila Mann, a policy researcher at the commission, says students of color, those from low-income families and first-generation college-going students are not equally represented. Full story can be found here.

More community colleges offer education baccalaureate degrees

Community colleges in a handful of states, including Colorado, Florida, Indiana and Washington, offer baccalaureate degrees to train students for careers in K-12 education, according to the Community College Baccalaureate Association. The programs have seen recent growth as many school districts say they are struggling to fill teaching vacancies in classrooms. Read more about it here.

Upcoming Events

CareerTech Vision

November 30-December 3, Las Vegas, NV

Sponsored by the Association of Career and Technical Education

The Forum 2023

March 25-28, 2023

Hosted by the Association of Workforce Boards