Right Skills Now:
Bridge to Employment
National Implementation of the NAM-Endorsed Skills
Certification System
Introductions and Proposal Partners
Proposal Development Team
 Mid-South Community College
• Dr. Glen Fenter, President
• Dr. Sunny Morris, Liaison for Special Projects
 The Manufacturing Institute
• Jennifer McNelly, President
• Brent Weil, Senior Director for Education and
Workforce
3
Proposal Context and Project Description
The Skills Gap in Manufacturing
 82% of manufacturers report a moderate-toserious skills gap in skilled production.
 74% of manufacturers report that this skills gap
has negatively impacted their company’s ability
to expand operations.
 69% of manufacturers expect the skills shortage
in skilled production to worsen in the next 3-5
years.
Deloite & The Manufacturing Institute, 2011
5
Manufacturers Need New Workforce
Strategies
Top sources for new employees
6
6
P R O V I D I N G C O M P E T E N C Y- B A S E D , C U S T O M I Z E D
E D U C AT I O N A N D T R A I N I N G F O R T H E M A N U F A C T U R I N G
W O R K F O R C E … T O D AY A N D T O M O R R O W
7
Project Construct & Management
Management Structure
9
Roles and Responsibilities
 Mid-South Community College (Lead and Project
Manager)
•
•
•
•
•
Consortium Applicant
Fiscal Agent
Data Collection and Reporting
Participant Tracking (Seedco)
Evaluation (SCATE)
10
Roles and Responsibilities
 Community College Partners
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pathway Identification
Skills Certification Curriculum Alignment
Professional Development
College Capacity Building
Internship/OJT (grant funds may not pay direct wages)
Student Outreach
Data Entry for Participant Tracking
ROI - Participant
11
Roles and Responsibilities
 The Manufacturing Institute (Technical Assistance &
Implementation)
• National Partner – Industry Sector Lead
• Technical Assistance



Implementation Support
Best Practices
ROI (Support)
12
Roles and Responsibilities
 The Manufacturing Institute
Tools & Resources
•
•
•
•
•
Job Connection with US Manufacturing Pipeline
Right Skills Now Model
Student Engagement – Dream It, Do It
NTER Learning Exchange
Research Support and National Efforts (Jobs Council –
Goal – NAS - NGA)
• Prior Learning Assessment (CAEL)
13
Pathways and Certifications
Baseline Co-Grantee Expectations
 All co-grantees will use the National Career
Readiness Certificate as the baseline credential
for workplace readiness
 Grantees will choose one or more pathways
and implement one or more technical
certifications
 Grantees will choose a traditional or accelerated
pathway (Right Skills Now), or a combination
15
National Career Readiness
Certificate
 Administered by ACT
 Three components: applied math, reading, using
information
 Results in bronze, silver, gold, platinum certifications
(silver is usually baseline for entry level)
 ACT has online content known as KeyTrain; this is not
a requirement for the Right Skills Now proposal
 Some states have different branding – key is the ACT
credential
16
Production Worker
 Skilled Maintenance Program
 Manufacturing Skills Standard Council (MSSC)
 Certified Production Technician:
• Safety
• Quality Practices & Measurement
• Manufacturing Processes & Production
• Maintenance Awareness
17
Machining
 National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS)
 Machining Level I
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Measurement, Materials & Safety
Job Planning, Benchwork & Layout
Manual Milling Skills I
Turning Operations: Turning Chucking Skills
Grinding Skills I
Drill Press Skills I
CNC Turning: Programming Setup & Operations
CNC Milling: Programming Setup & Operations
CNC Turning: Operations
CNC Milling: Operations
18
Welding
 American Welding Society
 Certified Welder
19
Engineering
 Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
 Building to Certified Manufacturing Technologist
(CMfgT) Certification or Certified Manufacturing
Engineering (CMfgE) Certification
 (Or other foundational certifications including
components of the CPT)
20
Fast Track to Jobs (Optional Model)
 Fast-Tracked, For-Credit
Career Training
 Industry Credentials with Value
in the Workplace
 Internships/Preference for
Employment
 Pathways to Advancement and
Degrees
21
2+2 Bachelor of Science
Right Skills Now Model
Associate of Applied
Science (Machine Tool
Technology AAS)
1 semester + internship
•
•
•
•
Measurement, Materials and Safety
Job Planning, Benchwork and Layout
CNC Operator- Turning Level 1
CNC Operator- Milling Level 1
Job!
Proposal Development
Timeline & Co-Grantee
Requirements
 Co-Grantee Template
• Due April 18
 Consortium Agreement
• Signed by college president by April 23
 Employer Partner Letter & Workforce System
Partner Letter
• Will be sent to colleges by April 4 to collect signatures
• Due April 23
24
Co-Grantee Template
 Basic Information
• College information & contact
• Elements of SCS in place
• Pathways to be built with grant funds
25
Co-Grantee Template
 Impact & Partnerships
• TAA-impacted workers
• Employer partners
• WIB/One-Stop center partners
• Real-time local data
• Links to TAACCCT Round 1 grants
• Articulation partners
• State or local innovations to leverage
26
Co-Grantee Template
 Narrative
• Brief description of the project
• One paragraph per pathway
27
Co-Grantee Template
 Projected Outcomes
• Total unique participants
• Total completing TAACCCT-funded program of study
• Total completing credit hours
• Total retained in program of study
• Total completing credit hours
• Total earning credentials
• Total enrolled in further education
• Total employed
• Total retained in employment
• Total receiving wage increase
28
Co-Grantee Template
 Q&A on Template and Outcome Measures
29
Partnership Agreements
 Consortium Agreement
• Will spell out roles, responsibility, budget framework,
reimbursement agreements
 Employer partner letter
• Standard letter with multiple signature lines
 Workforce system partner letter
• Standard letter with multiple signature lines
30
Budget & Allowable Activities
Draft College Budget
 Colleges will have $250,000 budget over 3 years
covering:
• Personnel $40,800/year
• Travel
• Contractual
• Equipment/Supplies
• Other – professional development, certification costs,
and other miscellaneous expenses
 Flexibility on budget parameters
32
Allowable Expenses & Grant
Activities
 It is expected colleges will expend funds on:
• Project management
• Intake and data entry (using Seedco tracking system)
• Employer convening & engagement
• Curriculum review & gap analysis
• Curriculum development (minimum needed to fill gaps)
• Alignment of coursework & programs of study
• Alignment in for-credit tracks
• Certification accreditation & testing facilities
• Faculty certification expenses & release time
• Minimal equipment expenses as may be needed to fill gaps
• Job development, placement & follow-up
33
Unallowable Expenses
 Unallowable expenditures include:
• Tuition payments, books & fees
• Direct wage payments
• Certification test costs

These are generally included in tuition/lab fees
34
Discussion & Next Steps
Contacts
Brent Weil
w: 202-637-3134
c: 703-869-5355
e: bweil@nam.org
Sunny Morris
w: 870-733-6860
c: 479-409-4790
e: smorris@midsouthcc.edu
36