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News From MSSC
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Time Cover Story Underlines Need for Higher Skilled Workforce
The cover story, "Made in the USA," in the current issue of "Time" magazine will benefit the MSSC Community by raising public awareness of the resurgence of manufacturing in the US, including the creation of 500,000 jobs in the past 3 years--the first time in more than a decade that the number of factory jobs has gone up instead of down. The article also notes that many new manufacturing jobs will require at least a two-year degree to produce workers capable of keeping pace with new production technologies. Click here to read full article.
MSSC Helps Train Veterans:
First Class of Veterans Graduate
In October 2012, GE CEO Jeff Immelt announced the launch of the Get Skills to Work Coalition to train military veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing and strengthen the workforce pipeline. The coalition seeks to accelerate skills training for U.S. veterans, translate military skills to positions in high demand industries like advanced manufacturing and logistics, and provide employers with the tools to recruit, hire and mentor veterans.
The project kicked off in Cincinnati with ACT and MSSC, and the first class graduated in March 2013. Two hundred veterans are expected to complete the Cincinnati pilot in the first year. The pilot will utilize the winning combination of the National Career Readiness Credential (NCRC) and the Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification. Based upon the results of the Ohio pilot, the coalition plans to expand to 10 locations utilizing ACT, MSSC and other members of the NAM-endorsed Skills Certification System. The next location for MSSC will be Ft. Worth, Texas.
See links below for more information on Get Skills To Work and MSSC Military Initiatives:
MSSC Military Initiatives
GE Press Release
Gary Sinise on veterans and Get Skills to Work (video)
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News From MSSC Community
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A GROWTH AGENDA: Four Goals for a Manufacturing Resurgence in America
The National Association of Manufacturers' (NAM) has developed a blueprint for US manufacturing competitiveness that will unleash the economy and manufacturing's outsized multiplier ef fect. NAM's four goals are: 1. The US must have an environment that fosters and supports jobs and economic growth; 2. Policies should be enacted that attract and retain R&D activities and protect manufacturers' intellectual property; 3. Access to new and global markets must be expanded; 4. Development of a skilled workforce that results from comprehensive immigration and education reform.
To read more more about NAM's number 1 priority of accelerating the adoption of the NAM-endorsed Skills Certification system, of which MSSC is a founding partner, click here.
Jobs Are Open Right Now
A recent survey of manufacturers in northern Kentucky showed that there are nearly 700 open manufacturing positions right now and that figure will grow to over 2,500 open positions by 2015 and nearly 6,300 open positions in 10 years. When asked why these jobs are open when there are lots of people unemployed right now, the northern Kentucky employers played a familiar tune -- lack of basic technical and employability skills. Click here to learn more about the Easter Seales TriState, a MSSC site with a job placement rate of 78%, is being utilized to serve the needs of the northern Kentucky manufacturing community.
South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
Each year, the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce develops the Competitiveness Agenda, a list of issues that provides a clear and straightforward set of items that South Carolinian legislators can act upon that will positively impact the state's business community.
The 2013 Competitiveness Agenda advocates for:
- Utilize the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) certificate to educate and prepare a portion of the workforce for entry-level positions in manufacturing
- Continuing support for the Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA)
- Addressing early childhood education, including third grade reading proficiency
- Funding for SmartState™ - SC Centers for Economic Excellence
- Creating a statewide WorkKeys® initiative
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Manufacturing Matters
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There are 12 million Americans out of work and 600,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs. Several states have developed multi-faceted initiatives that start with employer needs for skilled workers, adds technical training and targets willing candidates to create a pipeline of skilled workers to fill the state's growing number of manufacturing jobs.
From Seeking Alpha: The U.S. manufacturing sector has repeatedly figured out how to reinvent itself when faced with competitive threats. In recent years, American companies have become much leaner, regaining an edge in global markets that should lead to a bigger role in economic growth. Since the recovery began in mid-2009, U.S. manufacturing production has increased by 5.5%, nearly 2.5 times the overall gain in gross domestic product (GDP). It was the strongest manufacturing performance since the 1990s, while the three-percentage-point spread over real GDP growth was the largest in over three decades. This achievement was reached by controlling costs and improving productivity.
Solutions to our manufacturing problems
From Politico: Bipartisanship has been in short supply in Washington in recent years. Both parties have found it more beneficial to emphasize what they disagree about. But our political system depends on finding areas of agreement - the Founding Fathers designed it that way. With the 2012 election behind us and continuing challenges ahead, the time has come for a renewed push for bipartisan policymaking. Manufacturing is more than ready for this bipartisan moment. Beaten down in the first half of the 2000s and pounded by the Great Recession, this critical economic sector has begun to recover in the past three years, adding about a half-million jobs. But the underlying forces that destroyed some 6 million manufacturing jobs in the previous decade have not been fully dealt with.
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Editor's Note
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Tell Us Your Story
After being laid off twice, Linda Weaver was facing homelessness, when she saw an ad for a training program through Piedmont Community College's (PCC) Workforce Certification Academy. In the spring of 2012, Linda graduated with the full MSSC CPT credential as well as the NC Career Readiness Certificate (NCCRC). PCC's Workforce Certification Academy helped Linda obtain a job with Eaton Corp., by highlighting her success at earning not only the NCCRC but also the full MSSC CPT. Shortly after being hired, Linda received a $2.00 an hour raise. Linda believes that receiving the full MSSC CPT credential not only changed her life but kept her from losing her home.
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This very inspiring story was shared with MSSC by Dr. Scott Ralls the President of the North Carolina Community College system.
Do you have an inspiring story to share? If so, we'd love to hear. Please send your story to Tina Driessen at tdiressen@msscusa.org.
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Events
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The 2013 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference will bring labor union members, environmentalists, business owners, community leaders and elected officials from across the country together in one place for the country's largest dialogue on how to build a cleaner, more efficient American economy.
Join us April 16-18 in
Washington, D.C.
Click here for more information.
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Manufacturing Fact
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Manufacturing
produces 12.2% of US GDP or $1.8 trillion a year. For every $1.00 spent in manufacturing, another $1.48 is added to the economy, the highest multiplier effect of any economic sector.
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