From the Director

Craig McAtee, NCATC Executive Director & CEO

December 2024

The Power of Competency-Based Learning and Industry-Recognized Credentials

Learning should be measured by what you can do: the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) that lay the foundation for success with quality competency-based models for education, hiring, and training, so everyone can grow the Competencies they need for career-readiness and lifelong learning.

Competency-based learning refers to a diverse set of practices by which schools give students opportunities to learn at their own pace to master specific skills, often through projects of their choosing that dovetail with their interests. Several states have offered funding to schools to help them get competency-education programs off the ground, including Iowa, North Carolina, and Oregon.

Competency-Based Education (CBE), proficiency-based learning, mastery-based learning, personalized learning, student-centered education, and standards-based education are all terms that refer to the same instructional model: one in which students make choices about how they learn and demonstrate their knowledge, learn at a pace that might differ from their classmates’, receive individualized support based on their needs, and progress based on their mastery of course material instead of seat time.

And, when CBE is cross-walked with key Industry-Recognized Credentials that your state’s business and industry organizations have deemed valuable – the training and education for all can be considered workforce development worthy in the 21st century!

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, Industry Recognized Certifications (IRCs) have become essential in education, offering students a competitive edge and signaling their readiness for the workforce. The Global Skills X-Change has a new guide, “Industry Recognized Certifications: 3rd Party Accreditation,” that provides a comprehensive look at these invaluable credentials and their role in shaping career pathways.

This GSX guide is an essential resource for educators aiming to bridge the gap between education and industry, helping students navigate their career pathways with confidence and clarity. It includes important topics like:

• The Role of Certifications: Learn how IRCs enhance educational experiences, motivate students, and bolster career readiness. Discover how these certifications serve as a testament to students’ skills and competencies, making them more attractive to employers.
• Guidance for Educators: We offer practical advice for high school teachers, career technical instructors, and counselors on guiding students in selecting the right IRCs to align with their career goals. Our guide includes a curated list of entry-level certifications that are ideal for high school students.
• Understanding IRC Levels: Get insights into the various levels of IRCs, from entry-level to advanced certifications, and understand which are most appropriate for high school students and their educational journeys.
• The Importance of 3rd Party Accreditation: Find out why third-party accreditation matters, and how it ensures the quality and credibility of certifications. Learn about leading accrediting organizations like ANSI, NCCA, NOCTI, and ICAC, and why their endorsement is a mark of excellence.
• Practical Examples: Explore real-world examples of accredited certifications available to high school students, from IT and healthcare to manufacturing and electronics. See how these certifications can pave the way for successful careers.
• Additional Considerations: Dive into other important aspects of IRCs, including stackable credentials and renewal requirements, to help educators and students make informed decisions.

Some best practices for industry-recognized credentials include:

• Incentivizing high-value credentials: Use data collection and reporting, employer verification, and labor market data to create a rigorous approval process.
• Labor market alignment: Ensure that the industry-recognized credentials students earn align with labor market information.
• Data collection and reporting: Audit current programs for quality and alignment with labor market demand.
• Employer engagement: Establish and sustain industry-recognized credential programs with the help of employers.
• Interagency collaboration and state policy: Collaborate across agencies and develop state policy.
• Statewide communication: Communicate statewide about industry-recognized credentials.

REMINDER: On December 12th NCATC is holding our Q4-24 – Quarterly Drop-In, which focuses on one of the four Strategic Pillars of Success: Competency-Based Education, Applied Learning, and Industry-Recognized Credentials – Promising Practices and Needs Discussion. REGISTER HERE

NEW – NCATC 2025 Conference – will be hosted by Pima Community College in Tucson, AZ, next September 17-19, 2025, and will be jam-packed with keynotes, expert panels, speakers, industry innovation tours, and an in-depth look at their NEW Advanced Manufacturing & Automotive Centers focused on all things Advanced / Emerging Technology – Industry 4.0/x.0. See the NCATC 2025 “Save the Date” and watch your inbox for more details early in 2025!

As always, we encourage you to stay regularly connected and up to date on all ATC, WFD, and CTE-related activities and guidance, via the weekly updated NCATC website, social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X etc.), and quarterly digital newsletters like this one.

2023/24 Membership – Highlights

NCATC Membership Committee – 2024 Initiatives

Streamlined Membership Levels

• Coalition Member replaces Full Center & Associate Level
• Affiliate Level included CTE High Schools

Moving to Digital Badges and Updated Certificates

NEW Enhanced Member Benefits

Join NCATC

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NCATC's Q4-24 – Quarterly Drop-In will focus on one of the four Strategic Pillars of Success: Competency-Based Education (CBE) and Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRCs) and Applied Skills – promising practices and needs discussion with members.

This session will feature three NCATC Board Directors highlighting recent best practices shared in this newsletter.

This peer-to-peer conversation is intended to build a stronger community of thought leaders in this NCATC Pillar. Bring your “What I Have” and/or “What I Need” mindset to share. 

Please join us on Thursday, Dec 12, 2024, at 2:00 PM ET!

In This Issue

• CHAMPION Now! Is Changing Manufacturing Perceptions
• A Spotlight on Wisewire in Workforce Development: NCATC Feature Introduction
• Applied Learning with Industry Credentials Leading to Future Prosperity
• BSC's Advanced Technology Center: A New Era of Workforce Education
• Welcome, New Members and Strategic Partners

CHAMPION Now! Is Changing Manufacturing Perceptions

Terry M. Iverson

Founder, CHAMPION Now!

terry@championnow.org / 847-812-8238

www.championnow.org

There is a need for change in our country. The change is to empower and enlighten our youth. No longer is the 4+-year college degree the “only” path to success. No longer can education afford to teach everyone by theory alone, leaving those who learn differently behind. Those who learn by doing and applying can be the new norm. Education is changing and young people can be inspired. The needle is finally moving. However, too many people are sitting on the sidelines watching it pass them by.

For the last decade CHAMPION Now!, founded (2012) by Terry M. Iverson, has been laying down a foundation of products in the way of books (Finding America’s Greatest Champions and Inspiring Champions In Advanced Manufacturing), 22 YouTube educational videos, over 50 podcast interviews, and Camp CHAMP. The CHAMPION Now! Camp CHAMP brings CNC machine tools and processes to communities that may never otherwise learn about making things. The concept is to use High School Mentors to teach middle school participating students about six areas of manufacturing:

1. Quality, Inspection (students measure wood planks with calipers and dial indicators)
2. CNC turning (tabletop CNC lathe cuts both the top and bottom of wooden pen)
3. CNC milling (tabletop CNC mill cuts a pen case with card holding element)
4. Sanding and staining (pen blanks are rotated in a CNC indexer to both sand and stain the segments)
5. Laser engraving (nameplates are laser engraved with participants’ and mentors’ names and then adhered to the box that the pens will be placed in for them to take home)
6. Assembly (the pen segments are assembled into a pen)

Six groups of four students each rotate every 15 minutes to each station, where a high school student is waiting to enlighten them on the best-kept secret in our communities—Manufacturing Careers! There is both a morning session and an afternoon session in each camp format. Each participant leaves with a specially designed long-sleeve shirt with schools, industry sponsors, and Camp CHAMP logos on the front and back. Each young person also receives a box for a CNC-turned pen that features a laser-engraved nameplate, while the high school mentors are given a special patriotic Camp CHAMP hat with the word “mentor” identifying their important role in the camp. Many have suggested that this might be where we find our new wave of CTE teachers. Too many programs are struggling to hire the qualified leaders who will instruct, inspire, and mentor tomorrow’s manufacturing workforce.

While we can inspire all young students to “want to pursue” or at least investigate the possibilities of manufacturing careers, too many will go home only to be told “no” by Mom and Dad. Their parents’ perceptions are outdated and incorrect. This is why the two books were written, to be a resource in this exact situation. Inspiring Champions In Advanced Manufacturing has two front covers, one for students and the other for parents. Each person reads from the outside in, where they meet in the middle to engage in active conversation based on the facts and inspirational stories from each edition.

CHAMPION Now! has been financed in large part by Iverson, which of course is not a sustainable model. Just this past IMTS2024, a national machine tool distributorship took a leadership position in giving a five-figure contribution to the organization. The hope is to expand the reach by hiring a full-time employee. We need more companies taking leadership roles in funding these great programs to expand nationwide.

The other component of Camp CHAMP is a direct pathway into manufacturing careers. An industry member or technical college hosts each event. High school CTE students mentor the middle schools’ feeder programs for the same high school. The following year the middle school participants can see their Camp CHAMP mentor in the high school hallways, hopefully making additional connections to the manufacturing educational pathway.

INDUSTRY MEMBERS: CHAMPION Now! is offering Camp CHAMP Kits for purchase. This allows for a company that has multiple divisions, locations, or subsidiaries to use the camp for a week before sending it on to the next participant. Manufacturing Day can be mobile and can take place hundreds of days a year, not just one day or one month across our great country. The same pertains to large manufacturing companies and their vendor base. Every part of Camp CHAMP is turnkey. Materials, processes, programs, machine tools, marketing materials, and instructions are all provided. Three crates are shipped to your location, with two samples of the books to be used as a resource for those who are inspired at the camp and are curious about what is possible. Corporate logos adorn the outside of the crates as a working traveling billboard, promoting the concept and the career path.

You can host a camp, donate money, or purchase books to give away at your community events. What we need is an influx of financial donors, no matter the amount. Many hands make light work. Many checks and donations do as well. Large corporations can purchase their own camps. Smaller companies can join forces with other industry peers to make their own manufacturing consortium and through manufacturing localism build their own pipeline for future employees.

EDUCATORS: The message needs to get into students’ and parents’ hands. Purchasing books that can enlighten students, industry members, and parents about how the new reality that is now the norm counters outdated perceptions. Discounts of 10–40 percent are given for large purchases.

Your local MEP or Trade Association: Here in Illinois, IMEC has supported us in running Camp CHAMP in both 2023 and 2024. We were able to inspire over 300 young people during those events. When companies purchase Camp CHAMP kits, the numbers can be exponentially higher. 

A teacher said this about last year’s camps: “Recently I saw some students in the hallway show me both their shirts and pens from last year’s camp! It has been over a year, and they are still excited about the event and have the two items that they were given that day!” Her students are coming back this week for a return visit to this year’s camp.

Without everyone’s participation, CHAMPION Now! is only a blip on the radar of the Manufacturing Rebirth in the USA. After being active for the past 12 years, the cast has been set. We are now at a pivot point where industry needs to do its part and take advantage of what has been designed. Donate, volunteer, host, speak, and/or give away materials. Instead of being part of the problem, let’s all start being part of the solution. I ask each of you to be a CHAMPION Now!

A Spotlight on Wisewire in Workforce Development: NCATC Feature Introduction

Introduction

What if the future of learning wasn’t just anticipated but actively shaped? At Wisewire, we’re not just imagining possibilities—we’re building them. Our work redefines workforce education by integrating AI-powered tools, industry-aligned content, and human-centered design to create impactful, learner-driven experiences.

This feature unpacks how Wisewire’s approach equips organizations to bridge skill gaps, empower learners, and drive real outcomes.

Key Highlights

• Partnerships with Purpose: From creating robotics pathways with Edmonds College to delivering aviation programs with AOPA, Wisewire’s collaborations are designed to meet learners where they are and guide them toward their goals.
• Learning that Adapts: Our AI-enhanced solutions make education responsive, accessible, and immersive—tailored to the demands of industries like advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and AI.
• Results that Matter: With 36 million learners reached and clients achieving 15-35% cost savings, we don’t just meet benchmarks—we set new ones.

Explore how Wisewire reshapes learning journeys, empowering both individuals and organizations to thrive in a world that never stops evolving.

Matt Janisin

Executive Vice President – Academic Affairs

Gateway Technical College

Within technical education, the value of applied learning and students’ earning industry-recognized credentials is well known and often the reason why students seek out our institutions and programming. For some students at Gateway Technical College, this wasn’t their reason for attending, but they quickly learned how transformative it can be. Specifically, I’m referring to our students who enter Gateway as part of our partnership with the Dept of Corrections. While we have partnerships with multiple institutions, one that has been ongoing since 2017 is with the Robert E. Ellsworth minimum security women's facility, which has completed 13 cohorts that include a total of 155 women who have earned Gateway’s CNC Operator certificate. From the beginning, the goal was to ensure students were able to get CNC jobs and that their past would not hinder their future. The program is very lab-intensive, per employer recommendations, so the students get the needed repetition to hone their technical skills and the overall feel of working in a manufacturing/machining environment. To further enhance the students’ employability, we integrated industry certifications including eight Starrett Precision Measurement/Gaging certifications and 3M Safety and Dremel 3D Printing & Laser Engraving certifications.

Another aspect of applied learning is the requirement for all the students to go through a mock interview process with area employers. We have great support from our employer partners who have committed their time to be part of this and provide the students with candid feedback and coaching so they can be more confident in future interview situations. Gateway is very proud that many of the “mock” interviews become “first” interviews for the students, as often our employer partners end up officially hiring the students. While it varies per cohort, we’ve had some instances where one company will hire almost the entire class, but commonly have an employment rate of 70–80 percent. While many local employers make this possible, some notable ones who have gone above and beyond to support this model include Bothe Associates, Senior Flexonics-GA Precision, Styberg Engineering, and CNH Industrial.

Throughout this program, the students work with Gateway's Academic Support Team and Transition Specialists, who provide support in test-taking skills, Clifton Strengths assessment, soft skills, resume building, mock interviews, and the creation of student job boards that are displayed at the reverse career fair. For the mock interviews and career fair, the support team also works with Gateway’s G-Boutique, which provides the students with professional attire, not only for the interviews at Gateway, but also so that they have at least one professional outfit upon release.

Over the years we have heard directly from many students on how impactful this program was to their success and how life-changing it has been for them and their families. One story in particular stands out from the first cohort. After earning her CNC Operator Certificate in 2018, Morgan was released and then returned to Gateway to continue her education and obtain her CNC Programmer Technical Diploma and worked at two of our employer partners, Styberg & Intech Medical. Afterward, she continued her education and earned an Associate degree in Business Management and as of this past fall semester the story has come full circle with Morgan becoming a full-time CNC instructor at Gateway and sharing her knowledge, her technical skills, and her story with the next generation of aspiring CNC machinists.

BSC's Advanced Technology Center: A New Era of Workforce Education

Bismarck State College (BSC) is setting a new benchmark for workforce education with its new Advanced Technology Center and a revitalized Industrial Automation & Robotics program. These initiatives prepare students for the rapidly evolving demands of smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 through hands-on applied learning, extensive lab resources, and the integration of industry-recognized credentials. This forward-thinking approach meets the critical workforce needs of regional, national, and global industries.

The BSC Advanced Technology Center: Innovation in Action

Scheduled to open in early 2025, the BSC Advanced Technology Center will be a hub for applied learning, innovation, and collaboration. This cutting-edge facility emphasizes a “learning by doing” approach, immersing students in real-world smart manufacturing environments.

Key highlights of the BSC Advanced Technology Center are:

• Extensive labs equipped with Amatrol trainers for skill-building in mechatronics, logistics, and process control.
• FANUC robotics systems for hands-on training in material handling, assembly, and collaborative robotics applications.
• Advanced technologies such as CNC mills, laser engravers, and autonomous mobile robots, ensuring students train on industry-standard equipment.
• Integration of digital twins and SCADA software for real-time production monitoring, simulation, and control.

These resources prepare students for the workforce and position BSC as a center for industry collaboration, research and development (R&D), and workforce upskilling.

A Stackable Pathway to Industry Excellence

BSC’s Industrial Automation & Robotics program follows a stackable credential pathway designed to provide learners with flexibility and career readiness. The program offers a Mechatronics I certificate (17 credits), a Mechatronics II certificate (18 credits), and an Industrial Robotics certificate (16 credits).

These three stackable certificates seamlessly integrate into an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Industrial Automation & Robotics. This model allows students to develop foundational skills, enter the workforce at multiple points, or continue their education toward advanced degrees. To expand access, BSC offers Mechatronics I to high school students through Early Entry/Dual Credit programs, giving them a head start in advanced manufacturing careers.

Industry Credentials and Future Growth

Starting in Fall 2025, the Industrial Automation & Robotics program will incorporate Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) credentials, further enhancing the program’s alignment with industry standards. These certifications will provide graduates with nationally recognized qualifications, boosting their career opportunities and ensuring readiness for advanced manufacturing roles.

BSC’s Commitment to Workforce Development

With the opening of the Advanced Technology Center and the rollout of stackable certificates, BSC is poised to lead in workforce education, empowering students and strengthening the local economy. Integrating cutting-edge technology, hands-on labs, and applied learning ensures graduates are equipped with the skills employers demand.

Welcome, New Coalition Members

Welcome, New Strategic Partners