WORKFORCE STRATEGIES AND PROPOSAL

Transcription

1 WORKFORCE STRATEGIES AND PROPOSAL Presented to: Submitted by: January 16, 2017 Jeannine Kunz Vice President Tooling U-SME 0

2 January 16, 2017 Jonathan Stewart Manager, Government Relations National Electrical Manufacturers Association 1300 North 17 th Street, Suite 900 Rosslyn, VA Dear Jonathan, Thank you for inviting Tooling U-SME to offer this strategy / proposal in support of National Electrical Manufacturers Association s (NEMA) workforce development projects. Tooling U-SME is the training and development group of SME. SME is an 80 year-old non-profit association dedicated to the future of manufacturing through serving the industry by promoting advanced manufacturing technology and developing a skilled workforce. SME also has an Education Foundation solely dedicated to the next generation of manufacturers. Tooling U-SME brings an extensive history of successful manufacturing training, employing best practices and unrivaled content. Tooling U-SME staff have decades of experience, giving us awareness and insight into the issues that drive manufacturing organizations and academic institutions. We are committed to providing your organization with best-in-class workforce development strategies and methodologies. The following document includes key highlights from our preliminary look into the market against the projects defined by NEMA. Due to the amount of information contained herein, we would be happy to have a session with NEMA staff and members, as appropriate, to walk through some of the preliminary findings and recommended next steps. If you have any questions, please contact Jeannine Kunz at Jeannine Kunz Vice President Tooling U-SME 3615 Superior Ave East, Suite 4405A Cleveland, OH TF: O: F:

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 2 Market Overview Influencing Strategies 3 Process 3 Market Need 3 Market Offerings Trade Organizations & Professionals 4 Market Offerings 2 and 4-Year Schools, Apprenticeship 4 Job Roles 5 Knowledge and Skills Required 6 Pipeline 7 Strategies by Task Task 1 Curriculum Development 8 Task 2 Apprenticeships in Community Colleges 11 Task 3 Apprenticeships in High Schools 13 - Promoting the Industry 13 Additional Recommendation 14 About Tooling U-SME 15 Key Staff Bios 17 Timeline 19 Fees 19 PROPRIETARY NOTICE This report contains confidential information from Tooling U-SME which is provided for the sole purpose of permitting the recipient to evaluate the strategy / proposal submitted herewith. In consideration of receipt of this document, the recipient agrees to maintain such information in confidence and to not reproduce or otherwise disclose this information to any person outside the group directly responsible for the evaluation of its contents, except that there is no obligation to maintain the confidentiality of any information which was known to the recipient prior to receipt of such information from Tooling U-SME, or which becomes publicly known through no fault of recipient, or which is received without obligation of confidentiality from a third party owing no obligation of confidentiality to Tooling U-SME. 1

4 INTRODUCTION The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is the association for electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers. The association consists of over 350 members who manufacture products that include power transmission and distribution equipment, lighting systems, factory automation systems and control systems, and medical diagnostic imaging systems. The NEMA mission states, Expand market opportunities, remove business barriers and reduce manufacturing costs through development and delivery of consensus-based standards and other intellectual property, effective advocacy, and decision-quality business information and analytics. This mission statement is more critical than ever as manufacturing faces a skills gap in finding a workforce that will replace the highly skilled baby boomers, who are retirement eligible. Tooling U-SME, as well as others, sounded the alarm that the future of manufacturing is in jeopardy by the end of the decade if industry does not address the growing skills gap. People and the investment in Human Capital is becoming a priority in every manufacturer s strategic plans. A talented workforce has direct impact on the key performance indicators defined in the NEMA mission statement. Manufacturers will not be able to meet their desired performance without enough workers that are adequately trained to common standards. To meet this growing need, NEMA is taking action by leading an industry-wide strategy to help members address their workforce development needs. NEMA is looking to partner with organizations who specialize in learning and development program development. As part of this request, Tooling U-SME is submitted their strategies for the following tasks, which are outlined in NEMA s Scope of Work request for proposal: 1. Development of a strategy to create or adapt curricula to teach community college students or recent graduates in the areas of; a) the fundamentals of electricity, and b) mid-level or advanced knowledge of electricity. 2. Development of a strategy to create or adapt an apprenticeship program to train community college students or recent graduates with the necessary skills to perform successfully in the following professions; a) Electrical Technician, and b) Maintenance Technician. 3. Development of a strategy to create or adapt an apprenticeship program to train high-school students or recent graduates with the necessary skills to perform successfully in the following professions; a) Electrical Technician, and b) Maintenance Technician. This document will outline Tooling U-SME s recommended strategies in each of these three critical areas and also include our organization s experience in meeting industry needs surrounding manufacturing workforce training and development. 2

5 MARKET OVERVIEW INFLUENCING STRATEGIES This overview relates to all three strategies identified above and arguably all the strategies NEMA is seeking to address; from promoting careers in the electro manufacturing industry to training the incumbent workforce. Process As part of our work, Tooling U-SME completed the following key tasks (i.e., secondary research) to better inform the process and strategies being developed. reviewed the research provided by NEMA on members needs and performed a high level assessment of the electro manufacturing industry reviewed Burning Glass Data on most recent data on knowledge, skills and abilities required for electrical and maintenance technician and technologist jobs inventoried and conducted high level evaluation of the key organizations providing training, education, apprenticeships and certifications evaluated over a dozen high school and community college curriculums from schools with electrical and/or maintenance technician degrees or certificate programs Market Need NEMA Members manufacture products essential to advancing our economy and improving our standard of living. Having access to qualified and interested people to fill jobs is a critical success factor to not only NEMA member companies, but their customer s companies as well. Like many sectors within the manufacturing industry, the ability to innovate and evolve the power transmission and distribution equipment, factory automation and control systems, etc. is paced by the capabilities of the workforce and availability of technology. The reality today is technology capabilities are outpacing people s abilities and it is anticipated to worsen with the lack of graduating high school, 2- and 4-year college students choosing career pathways in this industry. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the electrical technician field is expected to grow by 20% between now and While the job market for electricians fluctuates with the economy, there s no reason to expect a decrease in demand for electricians, especially in highly populated areas. The median hourly wage for electrical technicians is near $29.00, which averages close to $60,000 a year. In conducting secondary research as part of preparing the strategies outlined in this document, it became clear that the most significant needs are: increasing the pipeline of people interested in electrical and maintenance technician careers, strengthening and updating the existing curriculum provided in secondary and post-secondary schools to better meet industry needs, and creating awareness on training, certifications, and apprenticeships already available; identifying how each program differs from one another; and ensure there is adequate preparation materials for those programs. NEMA s research among its members had similar conclusions to the above points. 3

6 Market Offerings Trade Organizations & Professional In a preliminary review of what is currently available in the way of training and apprenticeship, there appeared to be a substantial amount. Based on the scope of this project, we were unable to evaluate the quality of the programs or ease of access. The list of nationally-recognized industry programs or associations providing training and education in this space includes but is not limited to the following: 1. Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) is a national trade association for merit shop electrical and systems contractors. IEC has more than 50 chapter training centers nationwide that provide training to almost 10,000 apprentices each year. IEC s programs are recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor and State Apprenticeship Councils across the country. 2. The Electrical Training Alliance was created from the legacy of the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC). The NJATC was founded in 1941 by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and served for over 73 years as the training arm of the IBEW and NECA. a. The Electrical Training Alliance consists of 300 joint apprenticeship and training centers in the United States and Canada, over 100 electrical industry manufacturer s and training partners and a vast network of public and private educational institutions from secondary school level to the university level. 3. National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is the voice of the $130 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities across the U.S. 4. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) offers training and conducts apprenticeship for electricians, linemen, installers (who install low-voltage wiring), in conjunction with the National Electrical Contractors Association, under the auspices of the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC), which allows apprentices to "earn while you learn. 5. National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) recently launched and Industrial Maintenance Technology Certification program. Though focused on mechatronics, it covers a substantial amount of electrical and maintenance technician content. 6. Ancillary related programs a. The Electronic Systems Professional Alliance (ESPA) b. International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), not directly addressing electrical technicians but an important sister role for the industry c. IEEE d. Many local communities have programs through workforce investment boards (WIBs) Market Offerings 2 and 4-Year Schools, Apprenticeship There are schools throughout the country offering programs for maintenance and electrical technicians, however, the number of programs has decreased over the years due to lack of enrollment and/or funding. For those schools with programs, the quality of content and alignment to industry needs varies greatly. Many schools need industry support, both financial and advisory. A challenge facing the industry is the closure of for-profit trade training schools, such as ITT Tech, that graduated a significant number of students each year. More than 550 two year post-secondary schools offer Associates Degrees in Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians graduating 8,000 plus students in the past 12 months (Burning Glass, Labor Insights). This does not include certificate 4

7 programs (non-credit) which comprise the majority of maintenance technician-related training offered at community and technical colleges. Four-year schools offer electrical engineering or electrical engineering technology programs on the degree side. Similar to the two-year schools, the Universities, such as Kent State, offer non-degree certificates in Electrical Industrial Maintenance. Apprenticeship programs in the electrical and maintenance trades have existed for some time, and many are in process of updates, along with new offerings coming into the market. There is a focus on increased national, regional and local education and apprenticeship collaborations. The Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium (RACC) is an example of collaboration at the national level. Facilitated by the Department of Labor, it connects employers, labor management groups, and associations that offer registered apprenticeship programs with two-and four-year colleges and universities. RACC member colleges recognize credit as recommended by third-party evaluators for the completion of a Registered Apprenticeship program and allow for the transfer of credit between member institutions. The volume and increased attention on apprenticeship programs by the government and education providers in secondary and post-secondary schools is one of the key factors informing the Tooling U- SME strategies and recommended course of action for NEMA. Job Roles The career path for an electrical and maintenance technician requires a considerable amount of hands on skills development and time, but for people who show an interest and capability in this area, the path is one with many opportunities. Based on Department of Labor O-Net Data, there are many roles related to electricians and electrical and electronics engineering technicians including Manufacturing Production Technicians, Industrial Engineering Technicians, and Industrial Electrical Maintenance roles. Burning Glass Labor Insights data indicates that, in the manufacturing sector, there is substantial similarity in the skills required for electricians and electrical and electronics engineering technicians, as well as maintenance technicians, indicating some overlap in job roles. Below highlights some of the baseline vs specialized skills for these roles. Top baseline skills across the roles include: Troubleshooting, Preventative Maintenance, Communication Skills, and Problem Solving. Based on prior market studies conducted by Tooling U-SME across all of manufacturing, these skills are well aligned to many other technician level positions in manufacturing. This is an area there is considerable amount of curriculum already available through our organization and others that can be leveraged by NEMA in accomplishing its objectives in education. Specialized skills topping the list include, but are not limited to, Repair, PLCs, Schematics, Tools and Test Equipment. 5

8 Knowledge and Skills Required While Tooling U-SME has not performed a detailed analysis to better understand the competency requirements for maintenance and electrical technicians, it did identify some key topic areas needed in these fields of study based on the feedback from the NEMA member survey, Tooling U-SME data, and other data publicly available via the internet. It will be important to not only identify the topic areas but to identify the best form of delivery of those topics. High School, 2-year degree programs and certificate programs for these trades all include math, print/schematic reading, computer skills, and safety. High School Programs may expose students to a variety of manufacturing and maintenance education. We ll look at the State of West Virginia as an example. West Virginia is an example of excellence in Secondary Career and Technical Education. The State offers several focus areas in their Maintenance, Installation and Career Pathway. Depending on the chosen pathway, the student may be required to take classes in AC Circuit Concepts, DC Circuit Concepts, Analog Circuits and Systems, Fundamentals of Electricity, Rotating Dev ices and Control Circuits, Industrial and Commercial Wiring, or Electrical Maintenance, with some programs offering an opportunity to earn an industry credential. For secondary and post-secondary programs, examples of some areas that would be covered in electricity fundamentals include, but are not limited to, the following Systems of Units and Notation Voltage and Current Concepts Conductors and Insulators Resistivity, Resistance and Color Codes Ohm s Law Capacitance, Capacitors and Markings Inductance, Inductors and Markings Power and Energy Usage of Basic Electrical/Electronic Test Equipment Electricity/Electrical Measurements AC Circuits/Transformers DC Circuits AC/DC Equipment & Controls Additionally, Community and Technical College degree and certificate programs frequently incorporate advanced electricity concepts, PLCs, measurement & instrumentation, control valves & actuators, motor controls, power supplies and depending on the focus of the program, hydraulics, pneumatics, robotics, industrial controls. In summary, Tooling U-SME and others have an extensive amount of curriculum already available that can be used in building a more holistic integrated career pathway strategy from high school and community college bridging into industry. There are a lot of building blocks already available and it is a matter of adapting, filling in gaps and drawing clean and strong seamless connections between the programs to optimize the development of career ready students and meet NEMA member s needs. 6

9 Pipeline The Fourth Global Millennial Survey indicates that 75 percent of millennials believe businesses are too fixated on their own agendas and not focused enough on helping to improve society. Millennials may be on to something. Having a higher purpose seems to pay off for companies. The Deloitte study shows a direct link between companies where millennials say there is a strong sense of purpose and those with higher reporting of financial success, employee satisfaction and recruitment. Manufacturers should evaluate and effectively communicate their vision having a strong purpose can help attract this important pool of workers and drive business results. These results play in the electro manufacturing industry s favor. As stated earlier, the products manufactured by NEMA members change lives, impact our standard of living and drive business growth and productivity. The greatest impact manufacturers can have on increasing the pipeline is engaging in their local educational communities. Participation on schools boards, curriculum boards, serving as career technical education (CTE) curriculum advisors, providing tours and exposure to manufacturing for students is critical. Ogden Weber Applied Technology College offers an excellent example of community engagement. Simply, area employers serve on program advisory boards influencing curriculum and skills development at the post-secondary level; College instructors are involved in establishing and teaching at area high school CTE programs, creating a natural flow from high school to either employer or the technical college for further training providing the education and skills needed by area employers. Tooling U-SME currently works with hundreds of high schools across the country to transform what is happening in the classroom to meet industry demand, including providing industry-driven relevant content delivered using best practices in training and development. We know that many manufacturing-related CTE programs across the country are burdened with outdated curriculum and technology. To ensure students are prepared to work at modern manufacturing facilities, it is important for industry and education to work together to bring industry-relevant knowledge and skills to the classroom. Schools today need to align to industry needs and technology advancements, which are outpacing what is happening in the classroom. However, classroom is only part of the equation. Manufacturers want to hire students who know how to perform a task, understand why they need to do it that way, and think about how to do it better. In short, students need practical, hands-on experience. One approach to CTE education called simulated workplace is gaining popularity across the country. With the help of local manufacturers, schools transform classrooms into businesses, providing real-life work experience. These in-school businesses solicit work, prepare estimates, and complete projects. Students also learn the importance of attendance, teamwork, punctuality, and more. Building relationships with business leaders can also provide other opportunities: on-site tours, mentoring, equipment donations, internships, jobs, and even funding. Manufacturers need to create much stronger relationship with this key category of suppliers called schools. Based on some preliminary discussions, a number of NEMA members already provide some level of support to high school and community college programs through advisory council and equipment donations/discounts. While this is a great start, the strategy going forward would be to have a more comprehensive targeted approach and package to build those schools identified by NEMA as being critical to the industry s future and pipeline development. These would be selected by NEMA members 7

10 from key markets with the highest need for electrical and maintenance technicians. Making it easy for industry to know how to engage and see the impact of their investment of time or dollars will be critical to sustaining success. SME s Education Foundation has a program, Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education (PRIME ), already in place to help make this happen. The program provides opportunities for students to develop industry relevant knowledge and advanced manufacturing skills before they graduate from high school. This tailored approach bolsters career pathways by providing interaction with industry as well as scholarships. Teachers also receive access to professional development and training on new equipment and procedures. By working together with manufacturers and schools, PRIME helps build a tailored pipeline of qualified workers in a community, providing companies with access to a highly skilled and educated local workforce. A recent PRIME partnership brings together Anna High School and Honda of America Mfg., both located in Anna, Ohio. To accelerate and build a consistent onboarding process, the Anna Honda Plant defined the competencies required for many production roles, and created a structured training program using Tooling U-SME online classes. Collaborating with the Anna School District education team, PRIME is now bringing this same training, starting with two courses, to Anna High School so that, if hired, students will have a seamless and quick transition into employees. This program shows the power of continuity for students from high school to career. STRATEGIES BY TASK Clearly, with the limited market scans and research performed by Tooling U-SME as part of this engagement, the market is filled with programs for electrical technicians, maintenance technicians and related occupations. There are number of strategies that may be employed to bring greater cohesiveness and consistency into the market and reach the objectives identified by NEMA, ensuring students pursuing electrical and maintenance technician careers obtain the necessary knowledge and skills needed by industry. The good news is there are a significant number of existing programs underway to build on and adapt as part of a larger systematic strategy. This systematic strategy would focus on a top down view from employers and a bottom up from a student s perspective on understanding career opportunities and progression; and most importantly, how all the programs that exist work together. While the program exists, in many cases they have not been updated to reflect the new skills required within electrical and maintenance technician jobs specifically in manufacturing, nor do the programs typically incorporate industry trends and best practices in learning and development. To attract the future generation and change the perception of these job roles in the minds of youth, the actual learning experience and delivery of curricula is equally important to address. The following tasks have taken these findings and the Strategic Overview feedback into consideration. Task 1 - Development of a strategy to create or adapt curricula to teach community college students or recent graduates in the areas of; a) the fundamentals of electricity, and b) mid-level or advanced knowledge of electricity Key steps for Task 1 Strategy Each step would have a go/no go decision point for NEMA 1. Market Analysis 2. Body of Knowledge and Competency Validation / Creation 3. Adapting or Building Curriculum 8

11 Market Analysis Tooling U-SME recommends conducting an interim step before moving forward with curricula development. The first step would be to perform a more thorough market and curriculum scan of high school and community/technical colleges to identify the programs, available curriculum, commonalities and differences amongst the programs, as well as existing apprenticeship standards. We believe the interim step will save NEMA investment dollars and result in deliverables that will have the greatest impact on the industry. Since the preliminary work identified numerous programs in the market already, the goals of the interim step would be to identify: What is needed in these job roles today? o Noting similarities and differences between construction and manufacturing What is available to meet those needs? Who is delivering on meeting those needs the best? What are high level gaps between needs and availability? Preliminary recommendations for filling in gaps and/or revamping the delivery of existing content. This will provide depth of challenge Clear pathways for each job role Tooling U-SME works with hundreds of employers, high schools and colleges across the country. Our access to these organizations along with NEMA members will enable us to take a deeper look at program requirements, curriculum and other resources used throughout the research process. After the deeper market evaluation, Tooling U-SME would present a comprehensive report on the state of education for electrical and maintenance technician along with a complete set of recommendations for curricula and apprenticeship (community college and high school). After a review of the findings, NEMA may make the decision to continue or to cease the project under Task 1. If NEMA chooses to continue with curriculum building or adapting as well as apprenticeship, Tooling U-SME would then propose the following work. Body of Knowledge and Competency Validation / Creation To effectively build a body of knowledge and competency requirements for an electrical and maintenance technician occupations standard, Tooling U-SME would identify: the knowledge and skill requirements for the role(s) proposed o this would build on work completed in market analysis the cognitive level of learning required at each program level (High School, Apprenticeship, Post- Secondary) the competency requirements for each level The completion of these items will enable Tooling U-SME to pinpoint curricula requirements for each program level and determine if curricula needs to be built or adapted. Our recommended approach to building/validating existing body of knowledge would be to establish a working group of subject matter experts that will be responsible for: reviewing a strawman of the competencies; collaborating with Tooling U-SME to author the NEMA body of knowledge that will become the common occupational standards for each job role. This work will be critical for completion of the three core tasks requested in this engagement. 9

12 Adapting or Building Curriculum: Given the preliminary market scan, Tooling U-SME has identified a significant amount of curriculum already in the market. Most are not up to today s learning and development standards, especially for young learners. Millennials and young learners are accustomed to on-demand, structured programs that offer learning in smaller chunks and bursts, and provides a clear roadmap that tells them what they need to do to finish this level and move on to the next. We believe our recommendations below will accomplish sparking career interest and curricula building. Additionally, the electrical and maintenance topic areas are ripe for effective blended learning that leverages all the tools available to educators (online, instruction, labs and hands-on/simulation). Creating a classroom in a box for educators needing not only the donated or discounted equipment, but experiential activities and projects is critical. The more turn-key we can make it for educators, the more successful the adoption and implementation in the classroom will be. Sparking Interest: Awareness Content The greatest challenge is increasing the pipeline of students. Tooling U-SME recommends the building of contents that is a fun, short exposure to electricity and the jobs electrical and maintenance technicians perform. This content would be NEMA sponsored and would be publicly available on the NEMA, Tooling U-SME, SME and other websites to be identified. This provides opportunities for advocacy for the professions and creating awareness/interest for jobs in the field. Along with this, we recommend providing educators with a practical toolkit for labs and activities they can use in the classroom with students for experiential learning. Tooling U-SME can create this content video and/or elearning or we can work with external partner organizations such as EdgeFactor. EdgeFactor staff are experts in producing promotion videos that inspire the next generation of manufacturers to create a communication strategy that will motivate high school students towards careers in NEMA member occupations. Foundational Curriculum: The SPARK Series of Learning If NEMA chooses to continue to build a foundational curricula for community college students or recent graduates in both the fundamentals as well as advanced concepts of electricity, Tooling U-SME proposes the following: Development of a suite of learning assets that will teach foundational electrical knowledge. The scope will be determined based on an audit of existing Tooling U-SME assets against the body of knowledge. The suite will be comprised of existing elearning classes as well as micro-learning courses that will meet the requirements of fundamental and advanced knowledge of electricity The Spark Series. Development of classroom exercises and labs that may be incorporated into a community college curriculum. Identification of additional content required beyond electricity to fulfill the educational requirements for the roles. Job skills gained upon completing the program. Tooling U-SME makes the assumption that the level of content would be aligned to pre-apprenticeship programs that peak interest in apprenticeship opportunities with area employers. 10

13 The design strategy will incorporate current best practices in adult learning that emphasizes the power of small learning moments to transform individuals and organizations as well as clear hands-on education towards skills development. Tooling U-SME can assist NEMA in marketing the series through the relationships we have with hundreds of high schools and community colleges across the country. These learning assets may be made available to those customers, to community colleges that have existing relationships with NEMA members, and to individuals via access to through the learning portal. Task 2 - Development of a strategy to create or adapt an apprenticeship program to train community college students or recent graduates with the necessary skills to perform successfully in the following professions; a) Electrical Technician, and b) Maintenance Technician. Apprenticeship Programs will bring value to NEMA s member companies. Employers with satisfied employees tend to have better retention rates. Formal Apprenticeships allow workers to gain the skills necessary for desired advancement, avoid the hefty debt typical to today s college graduates, and increase lifetime compensation. High-performing organizations are 4 ½ times more likely to grow existing apprenticeship programs or start one. These companies also receive $1.47 in increased productivity, reduced waste and greater innovation for every dollar they invest in an apprentice. Most businesses don t have the time to wait four-years for a potential worker to go to college before starting openings need to be filled today. Because apprenticeships combine related training instruction with on-the-job training, employers get a highly skilled worker who is able to begin contributing sooner than more traditional educational routes. Manufacturers have stated a challenge in the past is that colleges and universities teach the curriculum they feel is important, which may not align with a company s needs requiring additional training time after graduates are hired. Apprenticeships, on-the-otherhand, are built around a business specific needs through customizable national occupational models of jobs. In manufacturing, a 2014 Manufacturing Institute report found that due to the skills shortage the average manufacturer can lose 11 percent of annual earnings, or $3,000 per existing employee. A NEMA sponsored apprenticeship can help their members fight the negative impact of a skills shortage. Apprenticeship Programs are sponsored by the individual manufacturer and registered through the Department of Labor (DOL). As an association, NEMA can provide its members a framework for their apprenticeship programs that will take advantage of training that can be provided through their local schools and vendors. Each local manufacturer would then need to get their apprenticeship program registered through their local DOL apprenticeship office. As a national alternative, Tooling U-SME currently is partnered with nationwide apprenticeship programs that would negate the need for individual registrations at the local level. Tooling U-SME will work with NEMA on which deployment alternative would best meet their strategy goals. There are existing programs we would need to ensure are supported and that duplicative efforts are not made. One area we know needs investment is for maintenance technicians, as most of the larger trade associations focus more around electrical apprenticeships. Tooling U-SME is currently working across the country with both States and Associations in building frameworks for all occupations, including maintenance technicians, so we will be cognizant to look for partnerships that align with NEMA s needs if a partnership strategy is desired. 11

14 In any event, the deliverables of the apprenticeship program would remain the same through either a local or national registration. Tooling U-SME would leverage their existing electrical and maintenance technician apprenticeship models and work with NEMA appointed subject matter experts to develop or align a NEMA endorsed apprenticeship framework that includes the Related Training Instruction (RTI) and On-the-Job (OJT) requirements of the apprenticeship. Each occupation will be written as a hybrid apprenticeship program that tracks both time and demonstrated competency. To accomplish this requirement for each occupation, Tooling U-SME will identify both the RTI topics and the performance standards an apprentice should acquire and demonstrate during their 4-year and 8,000 hour apprenticeship. The results of this effort would then be compared to existing programs offered by union organizations to determine best approach for NEMA moving forward. In conjunction with the framework, Tooling U-SME will create a training plan that identifies the recommended learning pathway for the apprentice to be carried out by their local community college or third-party vendor. It is recommended that NEMA develop certain core courses identified by the training plan to verify the RTI is being taught to the standards set by the NEMA apprenticeship program. Tooling U-SME can partner on this development once the training plan is completed and courses identified. Tooling U-SME and NEMA can collaborate on a tracking solution for their members. Tooling U-SME offers the apprenticeship hour tracking through our Learning Management System (LMS) or our apprenticeship hour tracking mobile application, which makes it easier for employers to keep track of OJT for their apprenticeship programs. As part of the apprenticeship program, Tooling U-SME can create prior-learning assessments that are aligned to the industry standards and can be configured to meet local standards (union, certification, licensure, etc.). This will allow for apprentices to test out of RTI hours and accelerate their apprenticeship. To communicate the NEMA apprenticeship program, Tooling U-SME will not only leverage its existing salesforce and communication channels to build awareness of the program, but we will also leverage our current relationships throughout the Department of Labor, Workforce Investment Boards, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and other manufacturing associations. Based on the summary of Tooling U-SME Task 2 strategy, we believe, we will provide NEMA with the following: 1) a standard of apprenticeship (framework and training plan) for the Electrical and Maintenance Technician occupations, 2) ongoing support with DOL registration and how apprenticeship meets NEMA s financial goals, and 3) services and tools to track apprenticeship and completion of the program. 12

15 Task 3 - Development of a strategy to create or adapt an apprenticeship program to train high-school students or recent graduates with the necessary skills to perform successfully in the following professions; a) Electrical Technician, and b) Maintenance Technician. Tooling U-SME has the viewpoint that high schools and even middle schools are THE future of manufacturing. Creating an interest in manufacturing careers needs to be established in schools, and organizations like SME are making it a priority to communicate that careers in manufacturing are both a viable and rewarding professional choice. We already recommended creating an awareness short course to Spark interest in the profession. Embedded in this strategy, we have added elements about promoting the industry and increasing the pipeline of young people into these careers as there is a strong connection between the promotion of the industry and the experience the student has once they enter the program; including quality and bridge those programs have directly into industry. For this audience, Tooling U-SME does not recommend a traditional apprenticeship program. We recommend working with local high school CTE programs to build programs that meet local employer needs and/or engage local employers with the high school system to influence the knowledge and skills being conferred. Tooling U-SME has worked with organizations on pre-apprenticeship programs across the country. The level of content we are assuming that would be part of this tasks falls in line with what we would consider a pre-apprenticeship program. The idea is to teach basic knowledge and peak interest in apprenticeship opportunities with manufacturers in their area. Some pre-apprenticeship programs also introduce job skills as part of their program, which would include competencies in the areas of everything from basic math to problem solving and deductive reasoning. Tooling U-SME proposes that, as part of the apprenticeship program discussed in Task 2, we would undertake work to determine the pre-apprenticeship requirements for the high school market. This would be a derivative of the initial apprenticeship work, and would cover the basic knowledge and skills required of a high school graduate. The deliverable will be a baseline high school pre-apprenticeship program(s) that includes learning plans that utilize a blended approach, as well as instructor materials for hands-on learning and labs (classroom in a box). We would also create guidance/instruction for the schools on how to work with local employers to address specific local competency requirements. Utilizing our connections at the high level, we will advocate with high school career and technical education (CTE) programs to adopt this curriculum, and provide NEMA and its members coaching and instruction for working with local CTE programs within member-company communities. Promoting the Industry Though out of scope of the initial tasks from the NEMA RFP, Tooling U-SME believes that it would be negligent on our part if we did not provide some recommendations for promoting the industry and professions. This advocacy is critical over time to ensure success of the programs proposed. o Tooling U-SME recommends NEMA gets involved in industry-related events targeted to students such as Manufacturing Day or Skills USA. Manufacturing Day is an annual celebration meant to inspire the next generation of the manufacturing workforce. Events are held across the country to provide exposure to careers in manufacturing. There are many ways to participate the simplest is to encourage NEMA members to hold structured tours and events for students to expose them to what manufacturing really is about. 13

16 o o o o SkillsUSA is a United States career and technical student organization serving more than 360,000 high school and college students and professional members enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including many manufacturing roles. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. Competitions that touch on electrical, power and maintenance include: Power Equipment Technology Electrical Construction Wiring Electronics Technology Industrial Motor Control Mechatronics Mobile Electronics Installation To meet the growing concerns about a lack of talent pool in advanced manufacturing, SME partnered with SkillsUSA to establish a new competition and program across 100 SkillsUSA chapters for additive (3D printing) manufacturing. We identified SkillsUSA and these programs in the electrical, power and maintenance technician space as yet another example of the breadth of programs already available, but at the same time demonstrates the lack of linkages between all these organizations and programs. This is a critical finding in our strategy work and can be a barrier to entry for young people looking for a clear path forward. Partnering with the SME Education Foundation (SMEEF) and its PRIME program is one way to mobilize companies to increase their involvement with high school CTE programs. SMEEF facilitates school-employer collaboration where employers provide funding to support the creation of the CTE program, and the school works with area employers to identify the top needs in the market, continually evolving their programs to meet those demands. Once strategies are finalized and partnerships are secured, Tooling U-SME will leverage all communication channels to connect these programs to high schools across the country. Based on the summary of Tooling U-SME Task 2 and 3 strategies, the key deliverables for Task 3 include: NEMA pre-apprentice framework, training plan followed by appropriate curriculum development. We believes this will address two goals: 1) build a clear pathway of pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship curriculum and alignment to industry; and 2) promote career, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship opportunities in electrical and maintenance manufacturing. We also believe that advocacy is the first step for providing information to educators, students and parents about opportunities in the professions, and helps overcome many of the pre-conceived notions that are still pervasive in the market. 14

17 Additional Recommendation Tooling U-SME also recommends NEMA consider a strategy of becoming an umbrella organization for electrical and maintenance technicians. There is an opportunity to create a robust, integrated network of education and association training providers that deliver state of the art, portable, scalable programs that attract the next generation of learners and enhance the skills of the current labor force. A single resource that provides programs that spark interest, educate the workforce and sets standards for apprenticeship and continuing education. Right now, there are organizations that invest heavily and have strong chapter networks and programs in existence such as IEC, IBEW, and NECA. We would recommend NEMA align its efforts and activities by partnering with these organizations to better articulate the needs of NEMA members; articulate what might be missing today; and assist in creating a more systematic, clear, career pathway and linkages between what happens in the high schools, through post-secondary education, and ultimately industry jobs/careers. The most critical factor to probably all of these organizations is arguably the amount of students pursuing careers in these fields, as well as keeping up with the latest trends and best practices in learning and development as these areas become more advanced. Tooling U-SME is well versed in mobilizing organizations, academia and industry together to foster collaboration towards results that drive business impact. We can assist NEMA if the organization decides to embrace an umbrella strategy. About Tooling U-SME Tooling U-SME is the training and development group of SME. SME is an eighty-year-old non-profit association dedicated to the future of manufacturing through serving the industry by promoting advanced manufacturing technology and developing a skilled workforce. SME also works closely with manufacturers to share knowledge and resources that generate solutions meeting industry demands. Tooling U-SME understands that progress occurs when you invest in technology and people. By expanding the capabilities of today s and tomorrow s workforce, Tooling U-SME helps build business, drive meaningful economic growth and change lives. To meet this task, Tooling U-SME delivers versatile training and development solutions meeting the unique needs of the manufacturing community. Today, Tooling U-SME is the industry leader in manufacturing training and continues to improve its training products and services by aggressively developing content in new areas, enhancing the way content is delivered through the latest technology and supporting increasingly customized training tailored to the unique needs of customers or industry. Tooling U-SME provides unrivaled off-the-shelf content in the form of 500 online classes, seventy-five instructor-led classes, over 1,000 books and videos, certifications and assessments. These solutions are utilized by academia, over half of the Fortune 500 manufacturing companies and thousands of small to mid-size companies, to train their workforce and their students. In addition to the Tooling U-SME off-the-shelf content, our organization has full capability to build custom class training materials through our internal team of instructional designers and multimedia specialists. An example of a customer content program, Tooling U-SME collaborated with one of our client partners, Siemens. Based on market need, Tooling U-SME worked directly with Siemens to develop a suite of online classes aimed at technicians who operate and maintain equipment run with Siemens PLCs. These courses are very relevant today because every industry, from automotive and pharmaceutical companies to consumer goods packaging organizations, uses Siemens PLCs. These classes were produced in partnership with Siemens Industry in Norcross, GA. Siemens provided subject 15

18 matter experts and much of the multimedia resources embedded in the online class modules. When combined with other Tooling U-SME courseware and hands-on instruction, these classes prepare individuals for the Siemens Mechatronics Certification exam. Tooling U-SME brings unique perspective and experience to the NEMA. Our reach in manufacturing goes through many distinct channels. Tooling U-SME works directly with over 600 high schools, community colleges and universities in preparing the next generation workforce through training curriculum, scholarships, and other youth programs. In addition, Tooling U-SME works with industry directly every day defining job competencies and aligning and building curricula that drives individual performance that maps back to business impact. We believe in the importance of educators and employers collaborating on building the next generation workforce, and we help bridge that interaction. Tooling U-SME is active in providing solutions to a 21 st Century Apprenticeship programs across the country. Our involvement in apprenticeship ranges from alignment of our content to related training instruction (RTI) requirements and through the development of competency-based occupational apprenticeships. Tooling U-SME has worked with both the Department of Labor and statewide Associations to develop common standards of apprenticeship across State and National borders. On a daily basis, Tooling U-SME learning and development specialists work with individual manufacturers to implement and/or customize these apprenticeship models to their specific needs. As part of the apprenticeship s training plan, Tooling U-SME designs a curricula that combines our content, local community colleges and company-specific training. Tooling U-SME also provides tracking of apprentice hours through our Learning Management System (LMS) and a mobile application under development. Tooling U-SME, along with SME, provides NEMA unparalleled channels to promote the programs that are developed for the Electrical and Maintenance Technicians. Our nationwide team of staff and business development channels will provide outreach and attention for both the program and the overall message and work at NEMA. In addition, our outreach includes our SME members, who are a group of manufacturing professionals, researchers, educators and students looking to connect with peers, gain knowledge related to manufacturing technology and trends, solve problems and participate in leadership opportunities. Plus, SME s Advanced Manufacturing Media (AMM) group is a leading source for news and in-depth technical information about advanced manufacturing in North America. More than 140,000 manufacturing professionals subscribe to Manufacturing Engineering and Smart Manufacturing magazines, itunes app, annual yearbooks, e-newsletters, technical papers and other products. Finally, SME holds some of the largest trade shows in manufacturing where attendees from all walks of manufacturing find revolutionary technologies, business-changing innovations and their next competitive advantage all on display in a hands-on, flexible learning environment. As an extension of our parent company SME, Tooling U-SME is at the intersection of manufacturing technology and workforce development. Connecting people who are passionate about manufacturing and inspiring future generations. 16

19 KEY STAFF BIOS Jeannine Kunz, Vice President, Tooling U-SME Jeannine Kunz is the vice president of Tooling U-SME. Here, she leads a team dedicated to the ongoing education of the manufacturing workforce. Jeannine is a recognized authority on workforce development and training for the manufacturing community. Her vision and passion have put her at the forefront of workforce management issues providing innovative solutions for companies, academia, and individuals. Today, Jeannine is focused on building the capabilities of today s and tomorrow s manufacturing workforce. After helping guide Tooling U in its early days as a board member, she led SME's acquisition of Tooling U, the leading provider of online training for manufacturing. She is frequently asked to provide her insights at conferences, events, and caucuses across the country. Jeannine also offers her expertise as a regular contributor to IndustryWeek, Training Magazine, NPR Marketplace, Gear Solutions, Thomasnet.com and many others. She is a member of the Industry Advisory Committee for the College of Technology at Pittsburg State University. Jeannine earned a bachelor's degree in business and marketing with a concentration in economics from Eastern Michigan University and has served on EMU's Alumni Board. John Hindman, Director, Learning and Performance Improvement John is the Director of Learning and Performance Improvement for Tooling U-SME and provides strategic direction for learning and development programs in the manufacturing market. For over two decades, John has served as a practitioner of best-in-class Learning and Development techniques for various markets. Specifically, John has performed as a strategic advisor to government, small private businesses, non-profits and Fortune 500 organizations. Many of John s strategies involve the development of work-centric competency frameworks that lead to the development of career pathways and succession models. These Learning & Development programs produce measurable results that meet Human Capital challenges in employee engagement, growth, and retention. Kris Ward, Market and Business Development Manager Kris Ward leads market intelligence and research efforts supporting Tooling U-SME sales, product, and marketing initiatives as market and business development manager. She leads intelligence efforts to advance Tooling U-SME s understanding of the manufacturing industry and its unmet workforce development needs. In this capacity, Kris helps shape business development opportunities and informs the development of strategy and direction for learning and development products, services, and markets served. Kris started her career with SME in 1996 holding various positions over the years in marketing and product management. She returns to Tooling U-SME after a brief hiatus to learn about the business of content aggregation for the library market. Kris received an MBA from Wayne State University and a Bachelor s in Business from Eastern Michigan University. 17

20 Gretchen Schultz, Workforce Development Specialist In her role as workforce development specialist at Tooling U-SME, Gretchen helps develop innovative workforce development training strategies for the advanced manufacturing sector. She works closely with educators and industry leaders throughout the country on apprenticeship programs while leverage funding opportunities for a robust pipeline of well-educated and highly skilled workers. Prior to joining Tooling U-SME in July 2006, Gretchen managed school-to-career youth programs, adult job training and placement programs, and worked with local agencies to create workforce development solutions for the local manufacturing industry. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University. Kathleen Davis, Sr. Design and Development Consultant Kathleen Davis leads a team of content developers and multimedia specialists in creating original TU-SME elearning classes, instructor-led programs, instruction guides, assessments, and custom-tailored content. She also leads the content department in maintaining TU-SME s current catalog of over 500 elearning classes. Kathleen has worked with recognizable clients such as Lincoln Electric, Kennametal, and MSC Direct. Additionally she served in other roles including business analyst and onsite customer training facilitator. Kathleen earned a Master s degree in English literature and a Bachelor s degree in English and Spanish from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. As a graduate student, Kathleen taught composition classes at John Carroll. 18