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 October 2013 
News From MSSC

Building Employer Engagement

 In June of this year, MSSC introduced you to a new "MSSC Employers Outreach Tool Kit" to help you strengthen your ties with area companies. 

  

In our effort to provide you with the best tools available to assist with your outreach MSSC had Jim Nelson, Vice President of External Affairs for the Illinois Manufacturers' Association give a presentation titled:  "Don't Worry About Who Gets the Credit: 9 steps to build an effective public private partnership." "Don't Worry about Who Gets the Credit" examines the successful educational partnership between post-secondary community colleges, secondary school districts, industry and government in Illinois. 

 

Click here to view the webinar. 

Click here to download the paper.

 

  
MSSC Partner is First Two Time Winner of Broad Prize for Urban Education

MSSC is pleased to share that for the second time since 2002, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) has been named the winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education, the largest education award in the country given to school districts. The Broad Prize is awarded each year to honor urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among low-income and minority students.  As the 2013 winner, HISD will receive $550,000 in college scholarships from the Broad Foundation for college-bound high school seniors in the district.

 

HISD and MSSC have been working together since 2011.  HISD's School of Business Logistics and Global Supply offers both CLA and CLT in their dual credit program with Houston Community College.  Currently, HISD has 32 students certified in CLA certified and 12 have received their CLT credential. 

 

Please join MSSC in congratulating HISD on wining such a nationally prestigious award - for the SECOND time. To see the announcement, click here.

 

MSSC Welcomes New Secretary of Labor, Thomas E. Perez

MSSC would like to welcome Thomas Perez as the next Secretary of Labor.  His knowledge and commitment will be essential as the US endeavors to develop and strengthen the skills people need to successful and for the US to remain globally competitive.  His comments during his swearing-in ceremony (excerpt below) lead us to believe that he will be an active partner in creating opportunities for job and career advancement.

Excerpt from Secretary Perez's speech below:

"First, we must invest in our workforce. The skills gap is an enormous barrier to opportunity, particularly in an increasingly sophisticated economy. Many partners have to be in the huddle, with the Labor Department playing quarterback and executing a game plan for a demand-driven workforce investment system that serves the needs of  businesses and workers alike." 

To read full speech, please click here.

Ben E. Keith New Facility has an 

Open House 

After years of planning, the Ben E. Keith Houston Division opened on September 14, 2013.  Close to 100 distribution workers at the recently built 475,000-square-foot food distribution center in Missouri City, TX, have the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Certified Logistics Associate (CLA) Certification.  

 
Congratulations and Good Luck to Ben E. Keith and their CLA certified employees.
News From MSSC Community

Duke Energy to Fund Over $300,000 in Scholarships

120 Students to Receive MSSC CPT Credential

Ivy Tech and Duke Energy are collaborating to develop eight-week, advanced manufacturing programs modeled after an Ivy Tech Lafayette initiative, called Advancing Manufacturing,

 

Duke Energy is providing this crucial funding to support the development of manufacturing workers their operating areas that coincide with Ivy Tech Corporate College Regions. The goal is to increase the advanced manufacturing workforce utilizing MSSC CPT and use the skilled workforce to attract new manufacturing and to expand existing manufacturing operations. 

 
"Manufacturing still employs more people than any other industry in Indiana, but the modern manufacturing environment requires advanced training that goes beyond the high school diploma," said Duke Energy Indiana President Doug Esamann. "This program provides scholarship-funded education tailored to fit the high-tech needs of different Indiana regions."

 

For more information, go to: http://www.advancingmanufacturing.com/#! 
 
 
Congratulations Ivy Tech - Lafayette Graduates

In Lafayette, a 12-county partnership of area education, manufacturing, government and economic development groups connects and trains workers for area manufacturing jobs.  In addition to training, the partnership offers job fairs and a one-stop website that is continuously updated to link job seekers with employers.

 

The Lafayette program, now a year-old, has graduated 149 students, and about 80 percent of those participants have landed jobs with manufacturers such as Federal Mogul, Voestalpine Rotec, Lafayette Instrument, Wabash National Corporation, Donaldson Corporation and Nanshan. Advanced Aluminum.  


Great Lakes Manufacturing Council Looking for Innovative Solutions 
 

MSSChas been asked to assist with an important initiative for The Great Lakes Manufacturing Council (GLMCouncil), the bi-national organization dedicated to the success of manufacturing in the Great Lakes Region.

 

The GLMCouncil is looking to identify the most imaginative and effective solutions to building the region's pool of manufacturing talent.  This can include programs that involve any level of education, any cohort of the workforce population and addresses a local, regional or national pipeline shortage.  The GLMCouncil plans to recognize and honor the region's most compelling programs in 2014.

It only takes 10 minutes to complete. 

  

http://www.greatlakesmanufacturingcouncil.org/talented-workforce-initiative  

For additional information, please contact Ed Wolking, Executive Vice President at The Great Lakes Manufacturing Council at 313-964-4000 or visit www.greatlakesmanufactuingcouncil.org. 

 
Manufacturing and Logistics Matters

Obama Administration Announced $474.5 million in Grants to Expand Demand-Driven Skills Training and Strengthen Employer Partnerships

In September, Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez, announced $474.5 million in grants to community colleges and universities around the country for the development and expansion of innovative training programs in partnership with local employers. The grants are part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant program, a multi-year, nearly $2 billion initiative to expand targeted training programs for unemployed workers, especially those impacted by foreign trade.

 

The 57 grants announced will support 190 projects in at least 183 schools in every state plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  The grants will expand programs in growing industries, such as advanced manufacturing, transportation and health care, and encourage geographic and industry sector collaboration through the development of both statewide and multistate college consortia.

 

 

US Adults Score Below International Average 

on Global Workplace Skills Test

American adults scored below the international average, according to recently released results from a survey conducted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in all skills considered critical for global competitiveness and economic strength.  Americans, also, scored toward the bottom in the category of "problem solving in a technology-rich environment."  According to this survey,  adults who have trouble reading, doing math, solving problems and using technology will not have access to the high-wage, high-skilled jobs of the 21st century.  

Click here to read survey report.

Manufacturing Jobs Continue to Pay Well

According to recent reports from the U.S. Commerce Department's Economics and Statistics Administration The role of the manufacturing sector in the U.S. economy is more prominent than is suggested solely by its output or number of workers.  It is a cornerstone of innovation in our economy.

 

The rebound in manufacturing is important, not only as a sign of renewed strength, but also because manufacturing jobs are often cited as "good jobs:" they pay well, provide good benefits.  Specifically, this report shows that:

  • On average, hourly wages and salaries for manufacturing jobs were $29.75 an hour in 2010 compared to $27.47 an hour for non-manufacturing jobs.  Total hourly compensation, which includes employer-provided benefits, was $38.27 for workers in manufacturing jobs and $32.84 for workers in non-manufacturing jobs, a 17 percent premium.

Click here to read Benefits of Manufacturing Jobs

Click here to read, The Earning of New Hires in Manufacturing

 

 

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Editor's Note

MSSC Manufacturing Day 

High School Photo Contest 

Submit Your Entry 
Before it is TOO Late
Contest Extended to Nov. 15th 
Instructor's Corner

 

Chip Thermer

CPT Instructor

 

Charles "Chip" Thermer spent the first 30 years of his career working in CT manufacturing at companies like Union Tubular Company; the Miller Company; and Fuel Cell Inc. before leaving the industry to pursue his own business interests outside of manufacturing.

In 2011, Chip returned to manufacturing as a consultant to work as an industry expert to help develop a manufacturing program at Goodwin College.  Chip was so inspired by the vision and entrepreneurial spirit of the College, he later joined the faculty as the

Manufacturing Program Administrator, developing a curriculum and a team of faculty who were MSSC CPT credentialed. Chip has worked closely with Goodwin College manufacturing partners and MSSC to deliver a
comprehensive manufacturing program to meet the needs of local manufacturers.

 "I must say I'm having ball working with folks so dedicated to making a difference in our community and actually look forward to coming to work each day." - Chip Thermer

 

 James Battieste

CLT Instructor

 

James Battieste is a Professor at Houston Community College.  He previously, held positions as Sales and Marketing Manager with several Fortune 500 Companies, such as Carnation, M&M Mars, and Pro-line Corporation.  As the Pro-Line Corp. Western Region Sales and Marketing Manager, he implemented marketing, logistical and sales activities in the Western US and the Pacific Regions.

While employed in the aerospace industry, (Hughes Aircraft), he held several logistic positions within the defense industry. Upon the downsizing of the aerospace industry, James was recruited by the University of California at Los Angeles, Facility Department.  As a member of University of California project team, James was selected to lead the development and implementation of a centralized, automated MRO warehouse and distribution facility.  Project design included a MRO bar code system, merger of facilities m

 arterial distribution and storage sites. Upon completion, the centralized automated warehouse and distribution system stocked 8,000 SKU, processed and expedited maintenance supplies and equipment with an annual valued at $8 million. The University of California's System adopted many of the innovations and practices developed by James during his tenure.

 Shortly after relocating to the Houston, Texas area, he became affiliate with the Houston Community College System. Teaching Workforce Development, Logistics, Business Administration and Supervision courses. He continues to serve on several course instructional design teams for logistic and workforce development courses.

 

Governor's Corner

Gov. Haslam Hopes to Raise Tennessee's Higher Education Rate

 Through his "Drive to 55" initiative, Gov. Bill Haslam, wants more than 490,000 Tennesseans to get a certificate, or a 2- or 4-year diploma, by 2025.  The need to boost dramatically the number of people with post-secondary degrees and/or certificates stems from three fundamentals: People want good jobs, employers want good employees and the economic disparities between those with degrees and those without are widening.  

For more information go to: 

http://www.driveto55.org/