$200,000 Richard King Mellon Foundation grant to enhance
NCC's digital learning capabilities
|
|
New Century Careers has received a $200,000 Richard King Mellon Foundation Career Readiness for All Ages Grant to help manufacturing sector workers and companies adopt digital learning.
NCC will use a platform developed by Rewyndr, a Pittsburgh-based company that provides a mobile web application for visual work instructions and remote training for workers performing physical work. World Class Industrial Network (WIN), a Pittsburgh-based project development and management consulting firm, will serve as project manager. The WIN Digital Solutions team has collaborated with Rewyndr for several years.
“The Rewyndr platform’s advantages will significantly enhance our content, lower the entry-level skill required for participants, accelerate learning and enable feedback from remote site coaches and trainers,” NCC president and CEO Neil Ashbaugh noted. “We are grateful for this substantial grant to digitize sections of our curriculum to augment our pre-apprenticeship and credentialing training to better prepare students to adapt to the technology of the evolving manufacturing workplace,” he said.
NCC also will pilot a Digital Learning Alliance to help an extended network of employers begin to adopt digital training. “SMEs and their workers struggle to adopt and leverage technology for growth,” Ashbaugh explained. “As NCC’s competence in digital instruction grows, we also can offer support for member companies to transition their training content to digital formats,” he noted.
|
|
EmployHER partnership to expand NCC's outreach to women |
|
New Century Careers will benefit from a $207,000 grant awarded by the Richard King Mellon Foundation to fund EmployHER, a partnership formed by New Century Careers, Dress for Success Pittsburgh and When She Thrives. EmployHER aims to empower women heads of households in Allegheny County to become financially independent by providing better employment, personal development and education opportunities.
Women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. In 2020 alone, 2 million women left the workforce due to unemployment or wage reduction, disparities in child care, the inability to work from home, school closures, and lack of benefits, among other factors. In Pittsburgh specifically, 75% of poor families are headed by women and two-thirds of those are Black single mothers.
Combining the successful programming of the three partner organizations and others who choose to participate, EmployHER will provide long-term supportive services and greater connections to resources through pop-up centers in underserved communities.
“At these resource centers, each participant will have a personal concierge to ensure her individual needs are met and to assist in developing an action plan of next steps for her life and career,” said Neil Ashbaugh, NCC president and CEO.
|
|
Women's History Month Profile: Women in Manufacturing |
|
Cheryl Ragan, human resources manager for Elizabeth Companies, handles the recruiting efforts for candidates by utilizing job boards, contacting local schools, making cold calls, supporting BotsIQ competitions, and other means. Very few, if any, women apply for positions.
“It is a great career for women who are mechanically and mathematically inclined and I would love to see more women interested in the field.” says Cheryl, who has worked for manufacturing companies since 2007. While McKeesport-based Elizabeth Companies has five US locations, she finds the third generation family-owned culture welcoming.
But selling the industry remains a challenge. Cheryl cites the demise of local trade schools, misconceptions of career and earnings opportunities, and old notions of work environments as principal factors. “Our machinists work in clean, environmentally controlled facilities producing tooling for everything from batteries to pharmaceuticals,” she explains. “We also have introduced robotics to our production. The work is challenging, requiring precision skill levels but programs like NCC’s tuition-free training can prepare a candidate for a career in manufacturing.” Cheryl adds.
|
|
$25.000 Innovation Grant available through Innovation Works |
|
Innovation Adoption Program
Trying to adopt or develop a new technology or process? Innovation Works can reimburse you for 50% of the project costs up to $25,000. Provide details about your project here. The program is specifically designed for manufacturers based in Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. Read more about the program and past projects on the Innovation Works website.
Manufacturing Intern Program
If your company would like to hire an intern in 2022, Innovation Works can provide up to $2,500 of grant funding. It comes as a reimbursement for 50% of the gross wages paid to any interns hired. Help to find an intern is also available. For more information about qualifications and an applications click here. Applicants are being reviewed on a rolling basis that started March 31 but preference will be given to those who apply first.
|
|
NCC is your training hub! Classes now enrolling! |
|
Registration for Manufacturing 2000 is ongoing at the Eastern Westmoreland CTC site in Latrobe. A new cohort for M2K training in Pittsburgh will be enrolling soon.
Other training options:
-
Registered Robotics Technician Apprenticeship cohorts are forming! The two-year registered apprenticeship program focuses on automation and robotics. Also, NCC provides sponsorship for the four-year Machinist Apprenticeship. Contact Eric Pferdekamper, pferdekamper@nsquared.com, or 412- 745-1014.to enroll!
-
Incumbent Worker Training, also is available. Contact Patrick Bendel at bendel@ncsquared.com or 412-258-6668.
NCC is currently recruiting instructors for training classes. Interested? Click here.
|
|
Congratulations to NCC's latest cohort to earn a second NIMS credential! Shown with Neil Ashbaugh, left.
|
|
NCC welcomes GA Industries as a new Partner Company! |
|
Click on the logo to learn more about GA Industries
NCC provides Partner Companies a source of skilled workers who can help your company grow and adhere to high standards of product quality and customer service. Interested in becoming a Partner Company to build the next generation of machinists? Contact Patrick Bendel at 412-258-6668 or bendel@ncsquared.com.
|
|
Get a close-up of manufacturing today!
Visit New Century Careers!
Tours of NCC's Anselmo Training Innovation Center are interesting ways to learn more about manufacturing and the many career options available in the region. Visiting NCC recently were groups from Angels' Place, Bridge Career Center, Pittsburgh City Council, Jennison Manufacturing, Steel Valley Authority, Hammill Manufacturing, Carnegie Mellon University, Clairton High School, City Charter School, MetPlas Incorporated, and Renewal. To schedule a tour, click here.
|
|
Looking for Machinists?
If you are a manufacturing company in need of trained machinists,
contact New Century Careers at 412-258-6620.
|
|
Support New Century Careers! Build the region's workforce! |
|
or click on the links below to access other ways to help!
|
|
|
|
Choose New Century Careers here
|
|
designee code
is 1461264.
|
|
|
|
|
Connect, follow, and have a conversation with us on social media. |
|
New Century Careers (NCC)
305 East Carson Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
|
|
New Century Careers is a nonprofit manufacturer and technical skills development organization serving the Southwestern PA community through inclusive access to technical training opportunities while helping employers find and develop technicians seeking purpose, passion and success in the workplace.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
