Dream it. Do it. Virginia  

VMA's Workforce Development Newsletter

Volume 1, Edition 3, November 2012  

 

   

 
In This Issue


Quick Links


Employ


Virginia Values Veterans (V3) 

Attend this interactive conference to learn how your organization can develop a system that not only recruits our nation's talented young men and women, but also creates lifelong, highly productive employees who will lead your business with outstanding performance.

When: December 4, 2012
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Center for Leadership & Ethics at Virginia Military Institute, Marshall Hall
500 Anderson Drive
Lexington, VA 24450

 


Partner Network


VirginiaFIRST is looking for both technical and non-technical volunteers to help run its FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics events. They couldn't offer this exciting program to the youth of Virginia without the help of volunteers!


This year our Virginia FTC events will be held around the state on:

 

-December 15th in Richmond (Central Qualifier) at St. Christopher's School

-January 12th in Charlottesville (Shenandoah Qualifier) at UVA

-January 19th in Annandale (Northern Qualifer) at NVCC

-January 26th in Orange County Fredericksburg area (Rookie Qualifier) at Locust Grove Middle School

-February 2nd in Norfolk (Eastern Qualifier) at NSU

-February 23rd in Petersburg (South Central Qualifier) at VSU

-March 2nd in Richmond (Virginia State Championship) at Arthur Ashe Center

To volunteer, please click here. Feel free to invite your friends and co-workers to volunteer as well.  If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Ward at kward@virginiafirst.org

 

Please note that most volunteer positions require a full day commitment.  Set-up is done the afternoon before the event and take-down is done in the late afternoon/evening of the event. If you only have a half day to volunteer, please let Kathy know. 

 



didiv energy


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didiv jets





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Train and Certify


ECPI Delivers Manufacturing Technology Curriculum at Perdue to Bridge the Skills Gap

 


Like many companies throughout the nation, Perdue Farms is balancing the efficiencies offered through modern technology with the available pool of qualified workers. According to The Atlantic, 80 percent of the manufacturing companies in the United States say they cannot find enough workers with the proper skills to fill open positions at their facilities.

  

This trend has forced manufacturers in recent years to put expansion plans on hold, curbing production and ultimately their bottom line. The same training problems have prevented the jobless from re-entering the workforce.


Enter the Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA) and ECPI University - in December 2011, the trade association announced ECPI as its exclusive academic partner to increase accessibility to manufacturing technology training and credentials developed by industry. Perdue Farms utilized this partnership to launch an on-site initiative with twenty of its employees having just completed 148 hours of training in:

* Mechatronics and Spatial Reasoning
* Math for Manufacturing
* Chemistry
* Thermal and Fluid Dynamics
* Electricity
* Controls
* Teamwork, Workplace Behaviors and Business Acumen

 

"Properly-trained maintenance technicians can
do a lot to help save companies both energy and money," says ECPI faculty member Keith Hornberger. "For example, by changing the speeds of the conveyor and gear ratios, or installing a variable frequency drive, they can ensure that each machine is operating at optimal efficiency. There are also many instances when a part may be worn or faulty, and while the machine still works, it operates less productively."


So, how does ECPI train workers who are years removed from the classroom? "As far as teaching techniques go, it's very similar to what we do on campus," says ECPI Virginia Beach Campus President Kevin Paveglio. "We introduce the principle and immediately put it into practice, reinforcing everything with real-world, hands-on applications." 

 

Based on pre- and post-assessments, participant scores increased 29 percent, nine points greater than initial projections. "They really took the bull by the horns," says ECPI faculty member Lance Blevins. "The whole group was very receptive and really wanted to learn. In fact, we had one of the most
tenured associates who ended up being one of the best students in the class. Bottom line: you're never too old to learn."

 

Perdue Farms Technician Rodney Sutton

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits lies in the increased understanding each maintenance technician has for the other. "The mechanical technicians better understand the role of the electrical technicians and vice versa," says Hornberger. "This really fosters teamwork and enhances camaraderie."

 

"I've gotten a lot out of it," says Perdue Farms Maintenance Technician Michael Selby who has been with the company 12 years. "I feel like I have a much better understanding of electrical components, measurements, equipment on the floor and - most importantly - how to troubleshoot. I would recommend this training to anyone, no matter how long they've been with the company or how long it's been since they've been in school."


"It gives you a broader view of what we're dealing with on the floor," says Perdue Farms Maintenance Mechanic Tim Bend who has worked with Perdue just four months. "It also gives you a much better understanding of why management makes
certain decisions."


"Once workers have that broader view, they are far more likely to embrace change and that represents a real long-term benefit," says Paveglio. Ultimately, Perdue will also have more people on the floor who can observe operations with a greater eye for detail. The result: reduced energy and water consumption and increased profit.  

 

To learn more about the Manufacturing Technology Training program through ECPI University, visit http://www.ecpi.edu/technology/program/vma/ or contact Katherine DeRosear at kderosear@vamanufacturers.com. 

 

ECPI faculty member Lance Blevins describes internal components of an AC motor and gearbox.

Explore


Inspire your Community: Host a 2013 Manufacturing Technology Summer Camp! 
 
STIHL Mfg Tech Camp 2011A

The Dream it. Do it. Virginia (DIDIVA) Manufacturing Technology Summer Camp series, developed in partnership with STIHL Inc., provides high school students with an opportunity to turn raw materials into finished goods using cutting-edge manufacturing technologies such as computer-controlled machining and robotics.

 

"Skilled labor is critical in our workforce in order to rebuild and reinforce America's manufacturing base," said Christian Koestler, vice president of operations at STIHL Inc. "Students learn by doing and this event is a great way to help prepare the future generation of manufacturing and give them the tools they need to succeed." 

 

Students work in teams using the summer camp program and advisors to create finished products which can be tailored to compliment the host  company or generic designs such as a clock.  Highlights of this year's summer camp schedule included:  

  • Day One: Students are placed in teams and tasked to build an essential machine for their production system.
  • Day Two: Teams construct a manufacturing process for the different types of products they need to manufacture.
  • Day Three: Teams receive product demand and learn how to balance manufacturing operations to produce the required number of products during the two-hour competition on day four.
  • Day Four: Teams compete in front of family, friends, judges and other guests. 
For more information on the Dream It. Do It. Virginia (DIDIVA) Manufacturing Technology Summer Camps or if you are interested in hosting a camp at your facility in 2013, please contact Alice Scott at 804-643-7489, ext. 23 or ascott@vamanufacturers.com.

 

Ready


Manufacturers Needed for Virginia High School and College Internship Programs 
 

Virginia offers a variety of excellent opportunities for both high school and collegiate students to participate in internships, but more manufacturers are needed to provide these opportunities for experiential learning. VirginiaFirst connects high school FIRST Robotics participants with summer internship opportunities with their Virginia Technology Interns Program (VTIP) and the Virginia Space Grant Consortium implements and manages a free service to connect college engineering students with summer internship opportunities through the Commonwealth STEM Industry Internship Program (CSIIP).

    

The Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA) and Dream it. Do it. Virginia are now partners with both the VTIP and CSIIP programs and would like to encourage Virginia manufacturers to support both endeavors through participation as a critical component of career outreach and awareness to the next generation of skilled workers.  To connect companies with college engineering students, CSIIP offers a new online process for companies to find the best student candidate to fulfill their summer internship needs designed to enhance Virginia's future professional workforce and to keep STEM talent here in Virginia.  And to encourage Virginia's talented youth to pursue technology-based career pathways, VirginiaFIRST places its best and brightest robotics students with Virginia's leading technology companies.

 

For more on each program, please visit either link above or below:  

 

  

  

VirginiaFIRST 2012 VTIP projects  

  

 

 

   

Governor's CSIIP press release