SKILLS GAP A GUIDE FOR BUILDING A WORKFORCE-READY TALENT PIPELINE - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

OVERCOMING THE

MANUFACTURING

SKILLS GAP

A GUIDE FOR BUILDING A WORKFORCE-READY TALENT PIPELINE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Developed by the NAM Task Force on Competitiveness & the Workforce / Summer 2014

Overcoming the Manufacturing Skills Gap: A Guide for Building a Workforce-Ready Talent Pipeline in Your Community

Goals:

n Organize manufacturers to speak with one voice regarding the workforce needed to sustain and grow manufacturing n Engage and align key stakeholders—community leaders, education institutions, local/state officials—to take action and build momentum n Together, build a system that delivers a sustainable pipeline of strong, mid- skilled manufacturing talent

Four Steps to Build a Manufacturing Talent Pipeline:

• 1. Assess and Connect
• 2. Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers
• 3. Engage Educational Institutions, Other Training Providers
• 4. Create a System to Build and Sustain a Talent Pipeline

Assess and Connect

• 1. Determine your organization’s hiring needs.

Before you align with other manufacturers, you’ll need to understand your own company’s skills gaps and short- and long-term hiring needs. Some elements of this effort can be resource-intensive. Every company is different, but consider who will act as representatives of your company during the initial stages of the process—often the business leader, plant manager, HR manager, etc.—and who will staff the effort once a system has been established. Note that if you instigate this effort with other area manufacturers, you will likely need to continue to play the role of convener until the effort has momentum and the group can collectively agree upon long-term roles, responsibilities, processes and operating rules.

• 2. Assess available training programs and determine needs for other options.

Inventory programs being used by your company/other local manufacturers: A variety of manufacturing skill-building programs already exist. Before you add a new program, or seek to modify

• thers, you will want to have a firm understanding of the programs that exist and how effectively they deliver the volume
• f skilled workers needed to match your needs and those of other manufacturers.

Your Business’s Existing Programs Program “Owner” Key Elements What’s Working? Not Working/Gaps? Program #1 Other Programs Available in the Community Program “Owner” Key Elements What’s Working? Not Working/Gaps? Approach #1 (e.g., Apprentice Program with Local High School)

• 3. Connect with stakeholders outside the company who may be working on this

issue to gather information and build relationships.

When starting your initiative, it’s important to know and determine which of the non-manufacturing individuals and

• rganizations working on the topic you want to engage in your community. By understanding their initiatives and goals—

and informing them of the leadership role the manufacturing industry is taking—you can a) reduce the risk of negativity and opposition and b) gain their support and assistance to create systemic change. When generating your list of stakeholders, think about who is already working on initiatives related to the manufacturing skills gap. Who would we want to be aware of this effort…to collaborate and support with money/time/resources?

Consider:

Assess and Connect

Stakeholder List

Organization Name Organization Contact Name/Title Contact Info Program(s) Who Will Make Contact? Local Chamber Area School Districts Economic Development Office Community College System Government and Proprietary Training Partners State Manufacturers’ Association Mayor’s Office Other?

• 4. Look elsewhere in your state and in others to gather ideas for solutions to

your area’s needs. Possible Data Sources

n State cabinets for education and training/workforce development n Regional workforce investment boards http://www.servicelocator.org/WorkforceContacts.asp n State associations of manufacturers n National Association of Manufacturers http://www.nam.org n Manufacturing Institute http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org n Local economic development organizations n Community college systems http://www.aacc.nche.edu/Pages/CCFinder.aspx n http://www.ntma.org/initiatives/workforce-development

Assess and Connect

Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers

Brainstorm a list of potential partners, if a local manufacturing group does not already

• exist. Potential sources: local chamber; state manufacturing association; local “Book
• f Lists,” often published by local business newspaper; local economic development

agencies; Google; etc. Invite them to a meeting (teleconference, face-to-face, webex) to discuss your initiative, assess interest and plan next steps.

Co./Industry Group Name Contact Name Contact Info Type of Mfg.* Number of Employees* Working on Pipeline Dev.? Y/N*

*If known

Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers

It’s important to get a baseline among your manufacturing alliance members regarding their current employee skill development programs: what’s working, improvements needed and how a multi-employer training approach could help serve their needs. Consider gathering this information in a group meeting with your manufacturing partners. This will give gathered members a visual look at the common areas of concern/possible collaboration.

Company Name Current Approach for Employee Skill Development What’s Working? Not Working/ Gaps? Critical Skills to Be Developed Feedback on Multi-Employer Training Model

Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers

Have a quantitative understanding of the problem you are trying to solve by assessing the hiring needs, training efforts, workforce development programs and current and anticipated skills gaps of the individual manufacturers. Consider conducting a brief, baseline survey if this combined data do not currently exist.

Sample Survey:

Sample Survey (Continued):

Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers

Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers

Sample Survey (Continued):

Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers

Sample Survey (Continued):

Once you’ve gained consensus among member companies regarding the actions your group wants to take to build a system that delivers a sustainable pipeline of strong, mid-skilled manufacturing talent, it’s important to prepare a Call to Action. This document becomes the roadmap your group will follow and sets the agenda for a community-wide response. After your Call to Action is complete, plan how you will promote it among key stakeholders to gain their engagement and support.

Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers

In June 2014, a group of manufacturers in Louisville, Kentucky, published “A Blueprint for Bridging the Industrial Skills Gap: Urgent Call to Action from Greater Louisville Manufacturers.” The group is using the Blueprint to increase awareness, engagement and support in the community. For a copy, contact Debbie Wexler at deborah.wexler@ge.com.

A Blueprint for Bridging the Industrial Skills Gap Urgent Call to Action from Greater Louisville Manufacturers

Another example of a Call to Action is the one below from the Arizona Manufacturing Partnership (AMP). AMP is an industry-led group that identified three key goals, which needed focus and action from state stakeholders in order to support manufacturing needs.

To learn more about the AMP, visit http://prezi.com/pavtgopij7y5/arizona-manufacturing-partnership-presentation/

Align/Collaborate with Other Manufacturers

Engage Educational Institutions, Other Training Providers

Once your manufacturing alliance has defined a solution that would serve identified, common needs, you need to evaluate and engage area training providers. If the alliance has doubts about an institution’s ability to meet its needs, demand reforms or keep looking. Competition for a partnership will generate better outcomes. Picking Your Provider:

n Update/expand the program list you generated in the Assess and Connect phase. n If you haven’t already done so, consult the Manufacturing Institute’s list of high schools, community colleges, technical colleges and universities that teach manufacturing skills per industry standards and offer certifications endorsed by the NAM (the M-List). n Be prepared to work with an institution across city

• r state lines if still within your metropolitan area.

n Where more than one potential provider is viable, consider issuing a request for proposal (RFP) to area training providers. n Describe the competencies needed for successful program completion; the process for obtaining additional information; respond-by date; and decision-making timeline. n Other issues to consider: n Can the RFP be issued in the name of the alliance, or do legal or administrative support needs argue in favor of having an existing entity (e.g., the state manufacturing association) do so on behalf of the alliance? n Determine the criteria against which the proposals will be evaluated.

An example of an RFP for education institutions.

Engage Educational Institutions, Other Training Providers

Create a System to Build and Sustain a Talent Pipeline

The education/training solution your alliance develops will help satisfy near-term hiring and skill-building

• bjectives. For your long-term needs and growth, you will also need to focus on creating a system that

builds interest in manufacturing careers and helps develop future employees. Collaborating with area secondary schools is crucial to building programs that will interest and prepare students for manufacturing careers for many years to come. Solicit volunteers from your alliance to help build your collaboration and engagement with area school districts.

Checklist for Engaging with Secondary Schools

n Review the information you gathered regarding programs in area schools dedicated to building manufacturing skills. Determine the efforts you can build upon and where you can help develop new approaches. n Meet with school district administrators to present your Call to Action and discuss ideas for collaboration. This can include realigning (or creating) a curriculum, supporting schools with equipment, personnel and/or financial donations, establishing internships and more. Start with high school programs, with an eye to extending to middle school as appropriate. n Establish regular dialogue regarding manufacturers’ hiring needs, including skills needed and desired industry certifications, such as the NAM-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) Certified Production Technician (CPT) and American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Welder Certifications.

A large part of building and sustaining a manufacturing talent pipeline is dependent upon changing the perception of manufacturing and manufacturing careers. Many people have an inaccurate, outdated image of manufacturing as offering low-paying, low-skilled jobs in facilities that are dark, dirty and

• dangerous. Your alliance can play a critical role in countering this misperception and building interest

in manufacturing as a career path with well-paying, skilled jobs with upward mobility. Solicit volunteers from your alliance to take the lead on developing an approach to promote manufacturing in your community.

Create a System to Build and Sustain a Talent Pipeline

Checklist for Promoting Manufacturing as a Career

n Engage local, state and national partners to access materials and drive a promotional, awareness campaign for use in area schools and for the public- at-large. n As the voice of manufacturing in your community, establish an outreach plan to reach key audiences with your message (e.g., students, their parents and guidance counselors). n Work with area secondary schools to establish awards and scholarships.

Local

Area chamber, other business groups, regional workforce development office, economic development groups, mayor’s office, secondary schools, post-secondary schools, area after-school programs, churches/community groups

State

State manufacturing associations, state workforce development, state chamber

National

National Association of Manufacturers, Manufacturing Institute, other industry groups